GWU warns residential parking could harm Sliema’s businesses

Sliema’s businesses could suffer if a residential parking scheme is introduced in the locality, the General Workers’ Union has warned.

“Hundreds of workers from other Maltese towns and villages work in Sliema, and the local council has a right to protect their interests as well,” the GWU said.

The Sliema local council this week announced it will take legal action against the transport ministry for after it was stopped from running its own residential parking scheme back in 2013, a few days into its introduction.

Through the scheme, non-Sliema residents were only allowed to park in residential zones for up to two hours during the morning and afternoon.

Mayor Anthony Chircop accused the ministry of discriminating against Sliema, noting that it hadn’t stopped other councils from introducing similar parking schemes.

The GWU in a statement called for a holistic study on parking in Sliema, that “takes into consideration the continuous economic development in the locality” and identifies new alternative parking spaces. 

“Such a study must identify measures to safeguard the interests of both residents and workers. Only after such measures have been implemented would the local council be justified to introduce a residential parking scheme.”