The cancellation of two car park projects makes this week a landmark for traffic planning in Malta, said conservation and environment group Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA). The welcome announcement that the long-contested Qui si-Sana car park plans were abandoned, was followed by the dropping of the controversial Balluta car park plans after a residents’ meeting with the St Julian’s Local Council. Unanimous in their opposition to the project, the people of Sliema and St Julian’s are becoming more aware of the threat to their health by traffic pollution caused by rampant over-development in the area.
It is time that all local councils recognize the consequences of heavy traffic pollution on the health and well-being of the residents whose interests they are meant to represent. Local councils must cease to regard solutions to transport problems only in terms of car parks and more roads while totally disregarding the impact on health of residents. Modern cities in Europe and North America are giving streets back to pedestrians and discouraging vehicles in urbanised areas by providing good-quality public transport. Sadly, our councils had been doing exactly the opposite by attempting to install centrally located car parks which only attract more polluting traffic. FAA welcomes the change in attitude toward better quality of life for residents.
FAA also expresses its dismay that the Marsa power station pumped unfiltered emissions into our atmosphere for seven months. FAA finds it difficult to believe that the emissions did not contaminate Malta’s atmosphere with dangerous fine particulates, which are a cause of asthma, cancer and premature mortality, even though the monitoring station at Corradino as claimed in Martin Seychell’s Times article, indicated that particulate levels were not raised above the limit of permissible values. FAA condemns the fact that it took so many months of reports of covert night-time pollution to discover that the Power Station filters were disabled.
FAA calls for more decisive action where residents’ health is at stake. The decisions on these car parks are very significant to the development of local democracy however FAA points out that these projects should have been opened to public consultation at a much earlier stage in the planning process, which would have avoided the wastage of significant public funds spent on studies and plans. FAA reminds the authorities that EU membership brings with it the obligation to involve the public at an early stage of projects rather than presenting a fait accompli, as has been done with the Valletta Regeneration Plan. These plans also include worrying implications of raised air pollution due to a lack of traffic management and inadequate public transport. It is not too late to integrate changes suggested by the public which would ensure a more acceptable, viable and successful project for Valletta.