Updated | Funds for Mriehel pedestrian bridge 'expected to be allocated in next budget'

The previous administration spent €845,000 in consultancies over the public transport reform, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said this evening.

Despite the consultancies, the reform has left much to be desired, so much so that it was one of the points singled out in the PN electoral loss anaylsis.

Mizzi said the Labour government was committed in seeing that the public transport service reaches satisfactory levels.

"While the previous government spent €845,000 in consultancies, our consultants were the public and the local councils. We have now analysed the complaints received which testified the disastrous state of the service," Mizzi said.

"We know what the problems are and Arriva has acknowledged these problems."

The ministry will now initiate discussions on the routes which need to be changed. Meetings will be held every day between Transport Malta representatives, a Maltese representative of Arriva and bus drivers' representative.

"After these discussions are exhausted, we will inform and consult with local councils of the planned changes. This will take time, but we want to do things the right way," the minister said.

Planned pedestrian bridge for Mriehel bypass

Mizzi produced sketches of a planned bridge for the Mriehel bypass. Even though no timeline has been yet set for the commissioning and development of this bridge, the transport minister announced that it will have "solar-powered lifts".

According to a minister spokesperson, the bridge is to be financed from local funds which should be allocated in the next budget.

"Discussions are still ongoing," the spokesperson added.

Resurfacing of roads and Dock 1 project

The Transport Minister said the government was on track with a programme to resurface roads and providing support to local councils.

"We found so many problems that we have no other option but to follow a programme which we drafted. I know there are localities that have long been waiting for their roads to be resurfaced," he said.

Referring to the resurfacing of a particular road in Bormla, Mizzi said his ministry had managed "to carry out in 65 days what the previous government failed to do in seven years".

Mizzi reassured Bormla residents that he had tackled the Dock 1 project head on and he was giving it priority.

Sliema parking scheme

Mizzi said the government was currently analysing a comprehensive traffic management plan before going on to address the different parking and traffic problems in various localities.

On the Sliema residents' parking scheme, Mizzi said the only consultation that took place was in 1996 and this "was limited" to a number of groups. He said, it was only just a few days before the election that the legal notice regulating the parking scheme in Sliema came into force.

The go ahead for a six-month trial was given in 2006, but it was never implemented.

"Since 1996, realities in Sliema changed radically to the point that groups who had been in favour of the scheme are today against it," Mizzi said.

Alleged reuse of scrapped cars' engines

An importer of second hand cars alleged that engines of cars which were scrapped through the government scheme were being resold and installed on different cars.

This, he claimed, was made possible through permits allegedly issued by Transport Malta.

The minister said he will investigate the matter.