On Saturday 25 September, Misraħ San Filep and Sciortino Road in Zebbug will be closed off between 5pm and 11pm as the Zebbug town square becomes pedestrianised for an evening.

Parking vehicles on these roads after 2pm on Saturday will be prohibited.

The Zebbug local council is now the first of ten other local councils to make use of the government funds distributed to them last month as part of the 'slow streets' scheme.

'Slow Streets' is a €344,085 governmental action plan seeking to facilitate safe and sustainable mobility in Malta's communities.

In a bid to encourage a move away from private car usage as people's primary mode of transport, as well as adapting the way in which people are able to access their localities, some roads in ten localities will be closed off at certain times and days to encourage residents to walk in these streets around town and village squares, and allow people to gather and children to play.

Other initiatives for this scheme include more bicycle lanes across towns and villages as well as adapting certain traffic routes.

In order to determine the applicability of the projects drafted by several local councils towards this scheme, urban studies were carried out in over 40 localities, however, till now, the following ten local councils have made the project list: Msida, San Ġiljan, Iklin, Xewkija, Ħal Safi, Ħad Dingli, Gharghur, Naxxar, Fgura and Munxar.

This project is set to enable the said local councils to administer grass roots approach towards tailor made sustainability projects as well as the implementation of more shared space in localities accorss the island.