Sliema rails against removal of parking, Midi extension
Sliema businesses rail against removal of parking, residents launch MIDI offensive.
The Sliema Business Community (SBC) has joined the Sliema local council in expressing disappointment on the removal of 62 parking spaces so that new public transport operators Arriva can operate their lanes on the Tigné seafront.
“The SBC expressly states that at no time were its members either informed of the negotiations taking place with Arriva, or the matter relating to the car parking spaces being a subject of negotiation,” the SBC said.
For the past few years the SBC had been meeting with the parliamentary secretariat for local government on various occasions to discuss the €3 million paid in commuted parking payment schemes (CPPS) by Sliema businesses to create additional parking spaces in Sliema.
“Although many areas were identified, no conclusions have been reached. This latest development goes completely against the spirit of the private-public partnership discussions so conscientiously entered into during the past few years.
“The SBC strongly urges the government to immediately re-instate the 62 car parking spaces and find an alternative solution to Arriva. After all, Arriva have not contributed €3 million to the Sliema business community,” the SBC said.
In another statement, the Sliema Residents Association (SRA), the Qui-Si-Sana and Tigné Residents Association (QTRA) and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA)said new designs had been submitted to extend the Midi Tigné North development with several high-rise tower blocks, “exploiting the lack of a clear MEPA policy on this issue.”
“It is high time that MEPA finally enforces developers’ duties to inform the public and enter into a real public consultation process which would produce constructive debate on mega projects like Tigné North and Town Square, that will add hundreds more residential units to our already overcrowded town,” the NGOs said.
“These new pressures compounded with poor roads and overloaded utilities will adversely affect Sliema residents’ wellbeing and deteriorate further their quality of life.”