Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association strongly reiterates its stand on the negative impact resulting from the controlled parking schemes in prime commercial areas, which are ill-thought and which will impede tourists’ mobility. These concerns are based on protecting the viability of many businesses including restaurants and hotels, and respecting their fundamental right to retain free and easy access to their establishments.
Rather than alleviating an already difficult parking situation in these crucial areas, the introduction of residents’ parking zones on such a major scale will certainly worsen conditions in these areas. Moreover, the allocated timings for most areas are unreasonable and will definitely create problems for all motorists who need to visit a particular area for whatever reason, including visiting friends and family who reside in these same areas.
The idea mooted by Dr Mario DeMarco to allow tourists residing in Sliema and using a hired car to use residents parking, is supported by MHRA. It is only logical to grant these temporary residents such privileges. However these same conditions must be applied equally in every locality where similar parking problems are faced, rather than discriminating against tourists residing outside Sliema.
Although these small concessions are a move in the right direction, MHRA contends that Government should immediately intervene in this awkward and ill-founded regulation, to ensure that a sound and holistic plan is drawn up for each particular area. In any case it would be inconceivable for any such scheme to be applied unless it is preceded by a real and concrete plan to create additional and sufficient parking space to cater for each areas’ needs. This must be based not only on the parking requirements of residents, but also on the business and tourist requirements of each location, who form an integral and equally important part of every locality. Only following such a thoughtful and constructive approach, matched by the necessary remedial action, can such far sweeping parking legislation ever be considered.
We trust that common sense will prevail and that rather than putting the cart before the horse, the requirements of us all as a nation will be given the importance they truly deserve.
MHRA
1 Comment To "Controlled parking schemes has negative impact on tourists – MHRA"
#1 Comment By Michael M. Bulpin On August 20, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
My experience regarding parking in Gozo, as a tourist, leads me to the belief that Local Wardens and others who enforce parking regulations on the island, do so in a partisan way. What do others think ?>
Gozitan natives themselves confirm my own assessment. It is also their belief that tourist vehicles, (easily identified by their license registration plates), are dealt with first, foremost and more severely on any, even on minor infringements. At the same time, people will know, that it is a commonplace to find local cars actually parked ON TOP of Zebra Crossings which no sensible motorist would never do. No tickets are issued in such cases.
It is often the case that a tourist may have made a mistake regarding a contravention. An official warning ticket could be issued and some judgement exercised before ruining someone’s day for an error. Bear in mind such people have already spend hundreds of Euros to be in Gozo on holiday.
My wife made this error in the parking area associated with Arkadia,on Triq Fortunato Mizzin, Victoria. She had wrongly believed this area to be a free car park operated by Arkadia themselves. This error of 30 minutes food shopping cost more than Euros23. It was simply an honest mistake.
It does not help tourism in Gozo to focus on issuing tickets to hire vehicles as a matter or course and as a matter of priority. Far from it.
Of course, road safety must be maintained, and regulations observed, but please don’t advance the safety argument in face of cars parking regularly and with apparent impunity on Zebra Crossings throughout Victoria on any busy day.
I propose that the Gozo Ministry authorities issue guidance to Local Wardens and Police such that they should exercise good judgement and give people more credit for making an honest mistake and cut them some slack, before reaching for the contravention ticket book.
Please do not go the way of the UK, where Traffic Wardens, as we call them, used to see their job as maintaining traffic flow and safety ahead of their present focus – that of fulfilling targets to issue as many tickets as possible and therby generating greater incomes for local authorities. This is undemocratic and unnecessary. I hope Gozo does not go down this path.