A public tender for the design, development, supply, and installation for a parking management system that will include availability sensors in order to try and improve traffic flow in Valletta has been issued.

The tender calls for the provision of an on-street parking management system.

Valletta Mayor Alexiei Dingli explained that the initiative forms part of the wider €19 million Civitas Destinations project.

The project comes after the locality launched Vatis, which tracks the entry and exit points of Valletta.

Dingli said that the project will be able to reduce traffic congestion within the city due to the number of cars who cruise around its streets looking for spaces.

The project will also show availability through a mobile app or website, and will allow the user to know where there are free parking spaces around Valletta.

It will be made available to both residents and the public.

On the parking problem in general, Dingli said that the lack of enforcement remained an issue, in spite of the local council's appeals with the Parliamentary Secretary.

"Without enforcement the situation will not improve," he said.