The Malta Automobile Club who last week launched a petition entitled 'Support the Central Link Project' stated that that the number of cars passing through Attard will not increase in a substantial manner as a result of the new bypass. The petition has at the time of writing garnered over 1,100 signatures.

The increase in the number of cars will likely increase over time in relation to the driving population said Alfred Farrugia of The Malta Automobile Club. Furthermore, he commented that "I am not impressed with the concept of induced demand."

Induced demand is a theory mentioned by the Attard Residents Environmental Network (AREN) which simply put means that if wider roads are available than more cars will pass through them and in the end cause more pollution.

Farrugia, himself an Attard resident, points out that in the area where he currently lives as a result of the project, the current traffic congestion will decrease considerably.

When questioned if the Club had put other alternatives to the Planning Authority, Farrugia replied in the negative stating that "I understand that the authorities know what they are doing. If I am not mistaken the current project is based on a similar one drafted in 2006, give or take a few modifications."

Farrugia also accused AREN of contradicting themselves with regards to the four-lane bypass they are proposing. "If I am not mistaken the authorities changed the plans from a four-lane bypass to a two-lane bypass on account of the objections of AREN and others."

AREN also noted that the Central Link Project proposes amendments to the junction leading from the Corinthia Palace which will no longer allow drivers to go straight to Rabat but must instead go back to the MFSA roundabout, which will be built as part of the same project. They believe that this will cause increased traffic into Attard and as result, more pollution, as drivers will not use the new junction.

However, Farrugia contradicts this by saying there are going to be lanes to direct traffic to cross and join the southbound or the northbound routes, as the case may be within fairly short distances.

Furthermore, he believes that the southbound route is doing away with the most serious bottleneck in the proposed project. As a result, several cars that are currently using the core of the village are expected to use the free flow of traffic according to the project.

Also mentioning the residents that will be living in the middle of the proposed arterial roads, Farrugia is not convinced the number of residents being mentioned by AREN is correct, believing it is lower. "In any case, several more people have been dealing with traffic congestion in the core of the village for several years."

With regards to the impact the Quad Towers will have on the number of cars flowing through Attard, Farrugia replies "It remains to be seen where the workers at the Quad Towers will be coming from. As I said over time traffic is expected to increase in its natural progression."

Of course, Farrugia states that if it were possible for traffic to flow from the periphery of Attard instead of the village core, it would be beneficial to the majority of the people living in Attard. He also noted that he would have no problem engaging in an open public discussion on the matter.