I refer to Scott Grech’s piece entitled “Valletta desperately needs a multi-storey car park” (TMIS, 30 May)

This article states that to re-build Valletta’s heritage and to be able to enjoy the regeneration of the city, Valletta needs to address the subject of car parking with urgency. He also refers to Mr Briffa’s interview in which it was also suggested that underground parking inside the bastions ought to be considered.

Sometime in July of this year, Alfred Zahra referred to the disappointing changes in P-Place arrangements inside Valletta, losing many potential “white places” and mentioned other thriving European towns and cities with ample parking provisions. Zahra stated that Valletta business is suffering because of lack of P-facilities. According to him, the city’s re-generation discussion will be pointless unless adequate planning of P-facilities forms part of it.

Referring to these letters in the papers and earlier relevant submittals by AX Holdings to go “underground” for access to Valletta and associated P-facilities, I would recommend the following as part of the immediate “solution” to the P-problem of Valletta:

1. If the government insists on going ahead with the widely unpopular construction of the new Parliament building in Republic Square to include a “deep-excavation” down to water level over the full footprint of the square, to allow a six-layer multilevel underground P-garage to be constructed in practically solid rock, requiring internal structural works only, now is the time to take that decision, before the award of the construction contract for the proposed Parliament building.

2. A further substantial increase of P-capacity can easily be created immediately by constructing an additional multilevel P-garage within the “courtyard” of the existing P-garage opposite the Phoenicia Hotel. This can be realised using the same prefabrication-system elements, as employed for the existing garage and which should result in T/€ savings all round.

Kees de Jong

SLIEMA