ADPD-The Green Party dejjem insista li t-trasport bil-baħar għandu jkun ikkonsidrat bħala mezz alternattiv ta’ trasport tal-massa u li għandu jkun inkoraġġit. Imma, kwalunkwe proposta li issir għal dan is-servizz għandha tiġi kkunsidrata fil-kuntest partikulari tagħha. Barra minn hekk, kwalunkwe servizz għandu jħares l-interessi tar-residenti l-ewwel, qabel dawk kummerċjali, fosthom dawk turistiċi.

Il-kelliem tal-ADPD u kandidat għat-tielet distrett li jinkludi Marsaskala, Brian Decelis, qal li fil-proposta li hemm għas-servizz ta’ ferry minn Marsaskala, jidher li f’dan l-istadju mhux qed jitqiesu numru ta’ konsiderazzjonijiet. Filfatt jidher li s’issa għad ma sarux studji li jevalwaw l-impatt ta’ dan is-servizz u kemm filfatt huwa vijabbli. Jekk saru għadhom ma rawx id-dawl tax-xemx. Importanti għaldaqstant li kull studju jew analiżi li sar bħala bażi għall-proposta ta’ trasport bil-baħar minn Marsaskala tkun ippubblikata u dan biex id-diskussjoni meħtiega tkun waħda infurmata.

Fost il-punti li wieħed għandu jikkonsidra hemm is-segwenti:

1. Dan is-servizz se jitħaddem fil-baħar miftuħ; dan ifisser li jekk it-temp ma jkunx jippermetti, u skond l-għażla ta’ vettura tal-baħar, is-servizz ma jkunx jista’ jopera. Dan għandu impatt kemm fuq il-vijabilita’ ekonomika kif ukoll fuq il-kontinwita’ tas-servizz;
2. L-għażla tal-vapuri tista’ tiddetermina jekk il-proġett huwiex ekonomikament vijabbli; speċjalment jekk wieħed jikkonsidra li dawn għandhom ikunu ta’ teknoloġija moderna li tħammeġ mill-inqas u li allura jkunu jiswew iktar minn xi vapur li jkun diġa’ għamel żmienu;
3. L-għażla ta’ fejn se jsorġi l-vapur trid tikkunsidra l-fatt li f’Marsaskala l-iżvilupp urban kważi jwassal sax-xatt; dan bla dubju ta’ xejn se jħalli impatt fuq ir-residenti meta l-vapur ikun qed jopera, minħabba storbju, partikolarment fil-ħinijiet tal-mistrieh; apparti minn hekk, is-servizz ikun diffiċli li jintlaħaq minn dawk li jkunu jridu jaslu bil-karozzi privati tagħhom f’żona fejn diġa’ huwa diffiċli li ssib fejn tipparkja – anke bl-użu ta’ park and ride, dan ikun ifisser effettivament żieda fit-traffiku li jasal f’Marsaskala meta fir-realta’ diġa’ hija problema biex tidħol u toħroġ minn din il-lokalita’; 
4. Wieħed jistaqsi jekk dan is-servizz huwiex vijabbli  meta ftit minuti biss ’il bogħod wieħed jista’ jaqbad dak ta’ Bormla li huwa aktar garantit li jopera peress li jitħaddem fil-kenn tal-port;
5. Il-Belt m’għadux iċ-ċentru kummerċjali bħalma kien fil-passat u ħafna m’għadhomx ifittxu li jaqdu il-ħtiġijiet tagħhom minn hemm – fil-każ ta’ Marsaskala ħafna jfittxu li jmorru Raħal Ġdid, Ħaż-Żabbar, iż-Żejtun jew Bormla;
6. Hemm ukoll l-impatt ambjentali li l-introduzzjoni ta’ servizz bħal dan jista’ jħalli fuq il-bajja ta’ Marsaskala. Dan jista’ jwassal għal impatti negattivi fuq il-Magħluq, sit ta’ Natura 2000 u l-mergħat tal-posidonia, li huma wkoll protetti. Is-servizz tal-ferry bla dubju jwaqqaf l-użu rikreattiv għall-għawm u rilassament fil-bajja, li bħalissa hija iffrekwentata s-sena kollha.
7. Dwar il-benefiċċju għat-turiżmu, wieħed għandu jistaqsi jekk dan għandux ikun għan ewlieni ta’ dan il-proġett meta l-pajjiż għandu jimmira li jnaqqas in-numri ta’ dawk li jiġu jżuruh, mhux lanqas f’Marsaskala fejn is-sidien tal-istabblimenti kummerċjali dejjem jaraw kif se jżidu is-siġġijiet u l-imwejjed fi spazji pubbliċi biex jaqdu il-popolazzjoni kemm ta’ residenti kif ukoll ta’ turisti.

Wieħed għalhekk għandu jistaqsi jekk bajja dejqa f’żona urbana li hija ffrekwentata minn ħafna nies, li għandha valur ambjentali għoli u li hija l-unika spazju miftuħ adekwat għal komunita’ daqshekk kbira,  hijiex il-post ideali għall-ferry – speċjalment meta alternattivi oħra b’impatt ambjentali u socjali iċken huma possibli, bħal ngħidu aħna shuttle regolari  lejn is-servizz imħaddem minn Bormla.

ADPD tinsisti li għandhom jsiru l-istudju kollha neċessarji biex jikkonsidraw l-impatti kollha u li għandu jkun hemm konsultazzjoni vera mar-residenti qabel mal-proposti jkunu finalizzati. Il-pubblikazzjoni tal-istudji hi essenzjali biex id-diskussjoni pubblika tkun waħda infurmata u tħalli l-frott meħtieġ.

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Transport – every proposal must be evaluated in its own merits

ADPD-The Green Party has always insisted that waterborne transport systems should be considered as an alternative for mass transport on land whenever possible.  However, every proposal for the introduction of such a transport service must be evaluated on its own merits.  In addition to this, every single service proposed should take residents’ interests first and foremost, before any commercial interests, including those in relation to tourism.

Spokesperson for ADPD and candidate for the third district including Marsaskala, Brian Decelis, said that in the current proposal for the Marsaskala ferry service it appears that, at this point,  a number of relevant issues are not being taken into consideration.  In fact, it appears that no impact studies have been conducted, and the financial feasibility of such a project remains unknown.  If such studies have been conducted, they have not been published.  It is of paramount importance that any study or analysis that has been produced about a potential ferry service from Marsascala is published, This is essential in order that the public debate be based on information of relevance. 

Points that need to be considered include the following:

1. The fact that the proposed ferry service will operate in the open sea probably means that there will be a number of days when this will not be in operation.  This will depend on sea conditions as well as the type of waterborne service being proposed.  This will have an impact on the economic viability and the continuity of the proposed service. 
2. The economic viability of such a service needs to be considered, especially if environmentally friendly sea vessels are used as an alternative to older vessels that are past their prime. 
3. When one considers the site being proposed for berthing, it has to be taken into consideration that in most of Marsaskala the urban  development is very close to the coast.  This will undoubtedly impact the residents while sea vessels are in operating, in particular through the generation of noise,which will undoubtedly be heard during times of the day when many people are resting; in addition to this, it would be difficult for people to use private vehicles to reach the site due to the lack of parking lots available – even if a park and ride is used, this would effectively increase the traffic coming to Marsaskala.  Needless to say, it is already difficult to enter or exit this locality by car.   
4. It should be queried as to whether this service would be viable, given that only a few minutes away there is a ferry service in Cospicua, which has the added benefit of operating in the Grand Harbour, which has the necessary infrastructure protecting it from bad weather.
5. Valletta is no longer the commercial hub that it used to be in the past, and many from the area no longer need to travel to Valletta for errands and other needs which are generally adequately addressed in the urban areas of Paola, Żabbar, Żejtun or Cospicua;
6. There is also the environmental impact that such a service would have on Marsaskala Bay. This will lead to negative impacts on il-Magħluq, a Natura 2000 site, and Posidonia seagrass beds, which are also protected.  The ferry service would undoubtedly have an impact on all-year round recreational use in the bay, such as swimming in the bay and other means of relaxation by the coast.
7. As for infrastructure for tourism, one should ask if this is the main aim of such a project, especially at a time when the country should seek to manage tourist numbers; and in a place like Marsaskala, where commercial establishments are continuously seeking to increase the number of chairs and tables in public spaces to accommodate both residents and tourists. 

Therefore one must ask if a narrow bay like Marsaskala Bay, in an urban area frequented by many people and of considerable environmental value, which is the only open space that is enjoyed by the sizeable local community is the place to have a ferry, especially when there are alternative means of transport that will have the least social and environmental impact possible, such as the regular shuttle service which currently operates from Cospicua. 

 ADPD insists that all necessary studies should be conducted to assess the impact that such operations would have on the locality, in tandem with genuine consultation with residents before anything is concluded.  The publication of these studies is essential so that public discussion is adequately informed thereby ensuring  the best possible outcome.