“When one considers all the known information, the Metro proposal is not suitable. It creates too many environmental problems and is a threat to both existing public spaces and our historical heritage.”  This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson, during a press conference next to the old railway station in B’Kara in relation to the Metro proposal.

Mark Zerafa, ADPD Deputy Chairperson and candidate for B’kara emphasised that all changes to public transport should be respectful of the little public spaces we have. The government proposal for a Metro makes use of Ġnien l-Istazzjon as a station and as a result will develop part of this public garden.  This eliminates one of B’Kara’s lungs. The introduction of mass transport facilities should improve the quality of life of our residents: it should not make it worse!

Mario Mallia, also Deputy Chairperson of the party as well as candidate for B’Kara emphasised that mass transport proposals can function if they work in tandem with local and regional transport around each station.  Local and regional public transport in and around B’Kara is very weak. It requires substantial investment to bring it up to scratch in order that it can adequately support a mass transport system with a B’Kara station.  If this is not done the current traffic congestion will still be around for quite a long time.

When Mario Mallia was an Alternattiva Demokratika B’Kara local councillor, some years back, he had taken the initiative to introduce bicycle racks at various points. Most have been removed!

Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD Chairperson said that traffic congestion is not the result of the number or dimension of roads but it is a reflection of the exponential increase in the number of cars on our roads. ADPD has emphasised many a time that the enormous expense involved in massive road infrastructure projects at Marsa, Kappara and Central Link are a waste of resources which will solve nothing at all. They have just shifted the problem from one zone to another.  Now, ARUP, government advisors are expressing similar opinions.

The effective solution addressing traffic congestion is the creation of alternatives to the use of private cars, aiming at their reduction as a result of a facilitated mobility.  This is the aim to be achieved by mass transport: helping people to travel short or long distances. Government consultants are proposing an underground Metro. There are however alternatives: Bus Rapid Transit, overland tram and an elevated metro.  All these have been set aside by government and its advisors.

The ARUP underground Metro signifies millions of cubic metres of excavation waste, which, it is being hinted should go towards land reclamation. Malta was always very cautious and very rarely resorted to land reclamation.  We hope that after ruin on land as a result of overdevelopment, it is now not the turn of our marine environment to be ruined, using the Metro as an excuse.

Rock excavation for the Metro tunnels will not be just a source of waste. It is also a potential danger to our historical heritage when excavating below, around or in the vicinity of our historical heritage in Valletta, Mosta, Balluta and elsewhere. Excavation is also proposed close to sites which are ecologically sensitive.   

We understand the ARUP’s conclusions are the result of studies carried out over a period of time.  It is essential that these studies are made public and subject to public scrutiny. Otherwise, this public consultation is a waste of time.  The studies are essential in order that we understand ARUP’s reasoning and motivation buttressing the underground Metro proposal. In addition, we need to understand the detailed reasons which ARUP is relying upon to justify its shooting down of the alternatives. Alternatives which do not generate huge amounts of waste, could be implemented in a shorter time frame and cost substantially less.

The choice which will be eventually made should not only reduce cars from our roads: it should do this with the minimum of environmental impacts and in full respect of our historical and ecological heritage.

***

Mingħajr informazzjoni sħiħa ma’ tistax issir konsultazzjoni sura dwar il-Metro

“Meta wieħed iqis kollox, il-proposta għal Metro li għandna quddiemna mhix tajba. Toħloq wisq problemi ambjentali u thedded kemm il-wirt storiku kif ukoll uħud mill-ftit spazji miftuħa li għandna.” Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party f’konferenza stampa ħdejn l-Istazzjon il-qadim tal-ferrovija ġewwa B’Kara dwar il-proposta biex tul is-snin li ġejjin issir Metro f’Malta.

Mark Zerafa, Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD u kandidat fuq B’kara emfasizza l-ħtieġa li kull tibdil fit-trasport pubbliku għandu jħares il-ftit spazji miftuħa li għandna. Il-proposta tal-Gvern għal Metro tagħmel minn Ġnien l-Istazzjon punt ta’ tluq tal-istess Metro u bħala konsegwenza ta’ dan tipproponi l-iżvilupp ta’ parti minn dan l-istess ġnien. Dan inaqqas wieħed mill-pulmuni li għandu B’Kara. L-introduzzjoni ta’ trasport tal-massa għandu jservi biex itejjeb il-kwalità tal-ħajja u mhux biex jagħmilha agħar milli hi.

Mario Mallia, ukoll Deputat Chairperson tal-partit u anke hu kandidat fuq B’Kara emfasizza li kull mezz ta’ trasport tal-massa jista’ jaħdem biss f’sinerġija ma’ tranport lokali u reġjonali madwar kull stazzjon. It-trasport pubbliku lokali u reġjonali huwa fjakk f’B’Kara u madwaru. Jeħtieġ ħafna iktar investiment biex dan jitqiegħed fuq bażi soda ħalli jkun ta’ sostenn għal sistema ta’ trasport tal-massa bi stazzjon ġo B’Kara. Inkella, l-inċidenza tat-traffiku u konġestjoni li għandna bħalissa tibqa’ problema li dejjem tikber.

Mario Mallia fakkar li meta huwa kien kunsillier lokali f’isem Alternattiva Demokratika xi snin ilu kien ħa ħsieb inizjattiva biex ikunu introdotti faċilitajiet għar-roti. Dawn, illum il-ġurnata kważi kollha tneħħew!

Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, qal li l-konġestjoni tat-traffiku fit-toroq mhix riżultat tan-numru u l-wisa’ tat-toroq imma tan-numru esaġerat u dejjem jiżdied tal-karozzi. Ilna ngħidu li n-nefqa massiċċa fi proġetti bħal tal-Marsa, l-Kappara u s-Central Link huma ħela kbir ta’ riżorsi u ma jsolvu xejn ħlief li tiċċaqlaq il-problema minn żona għal oħra. Issa anke l-ARUP, il-konsulenti tal-Gvern, qed jgħidu l-istess ħaġa.

Is-soluzzjoni reali għall-konġestjoni hi l-ħolqien ta’ alternattiva għall-karozzi bl-intenzjoni li fuq perjodu ta’ żmien dawn jonqsu mit-toroq tagħna għax b’mezzi alternattivi tkun possibli mobilità iktar faċli. Dan hu l-iskop li jrid jintlaħaq b’mezzi ta’ trasport tal-massa: jiġifieri mezzi li kapaċi jwasslu numru sostanzjali ta’ nies tul distanzi żgħar u kbar. Aħna ilna żmien twil nitkellmu favur dawn il-mezzi li huma bosta. Il-konsulenti tal-Gvern qed jimbuttaw il-proposta ta’ Metro taħt l-art. Imma hemm ukoll il-Bus Rapid Transit, it-tramm f’livell tat-triq u il-metro elevat mil-livell tat-triq, fost oħrajn. Dawn qed jiġu njorati mill-Gvern u l-konsulenti tiegħu.

Il-proposta tal-ARUP b’Metro taħt l-art se tfisser miljuni ta’ metri kubi ta’ radam li ġie indikat li jista’ jintuża għar-riklamazzjoni tal-art. Il-pajjiż dejjem qagħad lura fejn tidħol riklamazzjoni tal-art. Din saret f’każi rari. Nittamaw li issa wara li ħarbat l-art il-Gvern ma jibdiex it-triq biex iħarbat il-baħar ukoll, bl-iskuża tal-iskart iġġenerat mill-Metro.

It-tqattiegħ tal-blat għall-Metro ma jiġġenerax biss din il-kwantità kbira ta’ skart. Huwa ukoll ta’ periklu għall-wirt storiku tagħna: dan isir meta jkun ser jitqatta’ blat taħt, madwar jew viċin ta’ monumenti storiċi fil-Belt Valletta, fil-Mosta, fil-Balluta u bnadi oħra. Hu propost ukoll skavar ħdejn siti ekoloġikament sensittivi. 

Nifhmu li l-konklużjonijiet ta’ ARUP huma riżultat ta’ studji li saru fuq perjodu ta’ żmien. Biex il-konsultazzjoni pubblika li għaddejja bħalissa dwar il-Metro tkun waħda serja hemm bżonn li dawn l-istudji jkunu soġġett għal skrutinju pubbliku. B’hekk nistgħu niddiskutu aħjar u b’mod infurmat dwar ir-raġunijiet li immotivaw lil ARUP favur il-Metro taħt l-art. Apparti dan inkunu nistgħu niżnu ukoll ir-raġunijiet biex ġew skartaw alternattivi għal metro: alternattivi li ma jiġġenerawx ammonti esaġerati ta’ skart, jistgħu jkunu implimentati fi żmien ferm iqsar u bi spiża insinifikanti ħdejn dak li qed jikkontemplaw l-ARUP.

L-għażla li rridu nagħmlu mhux biss għandha tnaqqas il-karozzi mit-toroq imma trid tkun bl-inqas impatti ambjentali u tirrispetta ukoll il-wirt storiku u ekoloġiku tagħna.