The Environment Ministry has not given a tentative date for when the Victoria Lines will be established as a national trail, but “work has been carried out to clear paths, install signage and restoration works”.

In the Labour Party’s 2022 electoral manifesto, it promised to establish the Victoria Lines as Malta’s first national trail. But the Ministry, when asked by The Malta Independent on Sunday, was unable to give a tentative date for when this national trail will be established. It was also asked whether it would be completed during this legislature; however, it did not respond to this either.

Rambler and co-founder of the Facebook page Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail Jane Caruana said that the government has shown “no political will” to turn Victoria Lines into Malta’s first national trail.

When speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday Caruana said that in the government’s electoral manifesto, it pledged to turn the Victoria Lines into Malta’s first national trail.

The PL’s electoral manifesto said that it plans to “create ecological corridors in two zones in Mellieha and another zone in the area of Victoria Lines, where the first national trail will be established to join the East and the West of the Victoria Lines”.

“It was in the electoral manifesto. In our eyes, the government committed black on white that in this legislature it will carry out this project,” Caruana said.

Following this story, questions were sent to the Environment Ministry asking whether this was still the government’s intention, why it was not receiving as much importance when compared to other projects, an overview of what it has done and what it plans to do and a tentative date for when this will be completed.

In response, it said: “The government is not simply ‘intending’ to establish the Victoria Lines as Malta’s first national trail. It has been working in this direction in collaboration with Ramblers Malta and Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail for several months. In fact, the first part of this trail is planned to be opened before summer.”

The Ministry went on to mention everything that it has done so far and what it plans to do to carry out its promise.

Just as was mentioned in the interview with Caruana, the Ministry pointed out that Ambjent Malta, which falls under the Environment ministry, had discussions with Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail and Ramblers Malta. Ambjent Malta has also cleaned different parts of the Victoria Lines trail since 2020, with the help of the Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail and Ramblers Malta.

“This 16-kilometre route is segmented into several sections. In 2022, in line with the government’s commitment to establish this first national trail, it launched discussions with Ramblers Malta and Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail to carry out specific interventions and improve accessibility along different sections of the trail.

“As a result of these discussions, last year Ambjent Malta carried out several cleaning and clearing works. These works included the clearing of paths from overgrown vegetation and litter, as well as the installation of the first directional signs and trailheads, in consultation with these organisations. Ambjent Malta also joined Ramblers Malta and Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail in a major clean-up activity in September 2022.”

In her interview, Caruana said that although these meetings are still taking place, it has not been spoken about publicly and she gets the feeling that this is not a “political priority”.

Moving forward, the Ministry said that in the coming weeks, Ambjent Malta plans on installing directional signage and trailheads in line with the European Ramblers’ Association’s specifications. It added that next week’s on-site meeting with Ramblers Malta and Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail will determine the signs’ exact locations.

“Ambjent Malta is also planning a web application to guide walkers along this national trail, with directions and information about its natural, military and cultural heritage.”

Lastly, the Ministry mentioned the work that the Restoration Directorate within the Heritage Ministry is conducting to restore the historical infantry lines and any other related structures.

Initially, there was work to restore the 60-metre stretch of the Victoria Lines corresponding to the length of Ġnien l-Għarusa tal-Mosta. Once this was completed, work began in July 2019 to restore almost one kilometre of the Victoria Lines within the confines of Għargħur.

So far, over 800 metres of infantry lines have been restored as well as a pill box which was discovered during restoration works. The project is scheduled to be completed by end of 2024.

The cost of the work in Gharghur adds up to circa €80,000 because it is being carried out solely with the Restoration Directorate’s human resources.

In the interview, Caruana praised the Restoration Directorate for the great work that they do, but she said that they are not given enough resources to carry out the work efficiently.

Both Caruana and the leading architect of the Victoria Lines restoration, Ivana Farrugia, said that there are many instances of vandalism, stealing and emergency restoration works that have made the restoration process longer, as the limited number of qualified masonry would need to stop their work to conduct emergency works.