The first thing that must be said in this leading article is that the debate of whether or not horses drawing cabs is cruel, is not the issue under discussion.
Cabbie drivers are probably here to stay for quite some time and the real issue which must be tackled is where they will be placed, and that is high time that they are given set routes around Valletta and Mdina.
This newspaper carried an article on yesterday’s edition in which it was explained that the General Workers’ Union and the Malta Transport Authority had met and discussed the issue.
The GWU – as cabbies’ representatives – has proposed two sites as an alternative to St George’s Square and those are below the Sette Giugno Monument in Archbishop Street or just opposite the Law Courts.
The first has been mooted by the union as being a temporary solution while the second seems to be a more permanent option in the cabbies’ view. The two ideas are not viable.
The idea of a cabbie shelter in Archbishop Street simply will not work – it is a tiny road, it is not a pedestrian zone and it is not earmarked to be either. Besides, there are residences in that street and people will quite simply not want to have the noise, smells and general inconvenience that it will create... besides it’s a narrow little street.
The second option, in this newspaper’s opinion, would be an affront to our judicial system and would simply not befit the stature of the institution. It simply would not do, to again have smells and noises in font of our law courts. So what are we to do?
The first thing that we must bear in mind is that the cabbies should be given a spot which is both central – and allows easy access to the ring road around the Capital.
It would be senseless to place cabbies in a little corner somewhere as it would severely hamper their ability to find customers – so, places like St Elmo, the far side of the ditch where buses currently park and others will not work.
What is needed is to identify a good spot that people will be around, yet at the same time, reasonably out of sight and earshot. One place comes to mind, a small dilapidated car park near the Finance Ministry – near the intersection between Ordinance Street and Old Mint Street. Granted, it is a car park – but it would certainly make a better place to put them than the other two mentioned – and it would allow easy access to the Ring Road without interfering with the main flow of traffic.
Another issue which urgently needs addressing is the routes that cabbies use. They go on the Ring Road and the traffic they sometimes cause as a result beggars belief. The rims on the wheels of the cabs are also known to have caused indentations in the road which could pose a danger to motorists and particularly bikers.
The authorities must either draw out a route map which they must adhere to in an effort to avoid their causing gridlocks, tailbacks and traffic jams.
There will be those who argue that they should be off the roads altogether – and they have a good point, but if the cabbies are legal – then the authorities should find a balanced solution to cater to needs of the cabbies, the wellbeing of the animals and the wellbeing of motorists and residents... good luck...