Sliema laments suspension of trial period parking scheme

The Sliema local has objected to Cabinet's decision to suspend the time controlled parking scheme as this has only affected the locality of Sliema, including those zones that had been in force for the past years.

According to the local council, other localities that have such a scheme in force have not been affected.

"In this regard, the Council does not agree with the decision to suspend the implementation of the trial period of the scheme," the council said.

It also expressed reservations as to the manner in which the relative implementation was suspended by Transport Malta.

On 7 May, the Office of the Prime Minister intervened to suspend the Sliema local council's residential parking zone, which had only started in recent weeks.

The suspension followed the industrial action ordered by the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) which ordered teachers working in Sliema to report for work an hour late. This morning the union said that the action was "successful," with the Forum Unions Maltin backing the action ordered by MUT.

The Sliema council that it had gone ahead  with the introduction and implementation of this scheme after it had obtained all the necessary permits from Transport Malta which were subsequently entrenched in Legal Notice 200 of 2009.

"Prior to the implementation of the scheme, the Council was in constant communication with officials from Transport Malta who were being informed on the manner in which the implementation was being made. Officials from Transport Malta also contributed with their advice which the we followed to the letter," the council added.

It however complained that the time controlled parking scheme had only affected the locality of Sliema, including those zones that had been in force for the past years, whilst other localities which have such a scheme in force have not been affected.

The council said it was ready to postpone the enforcement of the scheme for a period of not more than three weeks.

"We invite Transport Malta to put forward its proposals for the betterment of the already launched time controlled parking scheme in Sliema," the council said.

Council members today sent a preliminary report on the betterment of the traffic and parking situation in Sliema to Transport Minister Joe Mizzi and Parliamentary Secretary José Herrera.