Mobility service in Sliema

Mobility Service in Sliema

Electric scooters for elderly persons in Sliema

Elderly residents with mobility problems in Sliema will have the opportunity to drive electric scooters to do their chores as part of a pilot project by NGOs which will commence in June. 

This is a very good example of community empowement through a public-private partnership involving volunteers, NGOs, Local Council, Government and business.

Times of Malta coverage of this can be read here. 

Outdoor tables and chairs: Sliema Council asks Government to suspend new guidelines

Read
here (Times of Malta)
here (The Malta Independent)
here (Malta Today)

Malta's first bike-sharing system starts next month

53 bike stations in 10 localities

Philip Leone Ganado Times of Malta 1 November 2016

With the swipe of a finger, commuters will soon be able to grab a bike from Sliema, take a short ride to Gżira or Valletta, drop it off, and carry on with their day.

Nextbike Malta, the country’s first bike-sharing system, will start operations at the end of the month with 53 bike stations in 10 localities and nearly one station every 400 metres, as well as a small number of electric bikes.

A free mobile app will allow users to see the nearest stations and the number of bikes available at each one, and with the touch of a button, check out a bike and drop it off at any other Nextbike station.

The low-cost rentals will be charged in 30 minute blocks, and there will also be a yearly membership option for unlimited rides, which the company hopes will make it an attractive, hassle-free option for anyone hoping to incorporate cycling into their daily commute and other short journeys.

The company will also be sponsoring free cycling classes with trained instructors, to help people overcome any fears they may have over using bikes on Malta’s often busy roads

“We hope to achieve a modal shift in the way people think, and to have a direct impact on the problems of parking and congestion,” a Nextbike spokesman told the Times of Malta. “This isn’t only for residents and tourists: we also have a number of employers who are buying memberships for their employees to allow them to come to work by bike.”

The company will also be sponsoring free cycling classes with trained instructors, to help people overcome any fears they may have over using bikes on Malta’s often busy roads, and the spokesman said the system would serve as a more convenient alternative to ownership.

“Studies abroad have shown that the end cost to the individual of using a system like this is actually cheaper than owning your own bike, without any of the hassle of maintenance, parking or worrying about theft.”

Bike-sharing schemes are already a fixture in many major cities, among the most visible being London’s so-called Boris Bikes.

Nextbike itself currently operates in 14 countries, with 35,000 bikes across Europe, New Zealand and the US. A 2011 study based on the bike-share system in Barcelona found that improved health from increased physical activity far outweighed any additional mortality from crashes and the exposure to car exhaust – the equivalent of more than 75 deaths avoided for every incidence of death. The introduction of Nextbike in Malta follows another effort towards a ‘shared-economy’ solution to the perennial traffic problems.

For example, Transport Malta put out a call earlier this month for a national, app-based, car-sharing programme.

Common appeal of Green local councillors: together for clean air and sustainable mobility

Michael Briguglio, Sliema Local Councillor of Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, joined a delegation of other Green local councillors in Europe in the conference “Moving Ahead: Green Mobility for Healthy Cities” on 22 October in Rome, Italy.

The councillors present signed the following declaration: 

Mobility is considered the number one priority for improving the attractiveness of cities, as well as quality of life and the health of our citizens. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change (as was agreed upon in the COP21 Paris Agreement), we need energy conversion policies that address low-carbon transport, as 25% of emissions that cause climate change in Europe stem from transport, in particular, road transport. Reducing traffic congestion and air pollution means improving the economic competitiveness of our cities and the well-being of our citizens. 

We all know how Dieselgate shocked the European public only one year ago: after Volkswagen admitted it had cheated on NOx emission tests, national and European inquiries showed that most of the cars on our roads emit much higher emissions than is allowed by EU law. Consumers are fooled both ways: they drive much dirtier cars than they thought and they breathe more polluted air in their cities. Politicians all over Europe promised better and reliable tests, cleaner cars, less pollution.  But one year later we have clearly been let down.

For these reasons, it is fundamental and urgent to develop and implement low carbon transport policies.

Therefore, local government representatives of the Green Parties attending the Rome meeting of 22 October 2016 send out a CALL:

• We want to reduce the number of journeys made by personal motorised transport by rethinking the urban environment to give more space and prominence to inhabitants and users of low carbon transport;
• We want to promote “active” moving, in particular through cycling and pedestrian policy, regarding both moving itself and the infrastructure provided;
• We want to rethink the accessibility of all places for persons with reduced mobility;
• We want to enhance citizen participation in the planning of urban mobility and to put into place transparent governance at all levels;
• We want robust financing schemes for urban transport;
• We want an EU-wide recall of all dirty cars on our roads that violate EU legislation and emit more NOx and/or CO2 emissions than permitted. The car manufacturers have to fix this problem as soon as possible. We have already lost precious time, at the cost of the health of our citizens;
• It is unacceptable that car manufacturers obtained even more leeway to put highly polluting cars on the market after 2021. The so-called “conformity factors” that were introduced just after the VW scandal should be revised as soon as possible to make sure that the cars on our roads do not emit higher emissions than was already prescribed by EU law ten years ago. This is the only way cities will be able to meet the EU's air quality standards.
• We want to promote close coordination and cooperation between cities to foster exchanges of experiences.
• We want the approval of new European directives on urban air quality, with wider parameters and stricter limitations, in order to improve the health of citizens.
• We want the adoption of policies on urban logistics for the transport of goods in order for it to be efficient and sustainable and to ensure the use of low-emissions vehicles.
• We want policies on urban planning that take into consideration the mobility of citizens and companies in order to reduce travelling distances and soil consumption.
• We want to promote shared mobility (car sharing, bike sharing and scooter sharing) to overcome the culture of ownership and to move towards integrated mobility.

We propose the development of sustainable technological innovation for transportation to improve both its quality and the service that is provided to citizens. We want clean air for our citizens and urge Member State governments, the European Commission and the European Parliament to take action. Now.

Amber Traffic Lights: Sliema and Gzira Councils meet Traffic Management Committee

Following the controversy regarding pedestrians' safety along the Sliema-Gzira Strand, a meeting was held between the respective local councils and Government's Traffic Management Committee chaired by Minister Joe Mizzi.

The Ministry committed itself to ensure that all lighting is fully-functioning and will soon be deciding on three-colour traffic lights in the evening, following compilation of evidence.

The Local Councils were represented by Mayor Anthony Chircop, Mayor Conrad Borg Manché and myself, whilst the Traffic Committee comprised  Minister Mizzi, Transport Malta CEO James Piscopo as well as other committee members including experts and various stakeholders.

In the meantime, in view of the ongoing works at Kappara, the bus lane across the Strand has been suspended.

Public Access at Tigne' Coastline

During yesterday's council meeting, the Sliema Local Council unanimously agreed that public access should be guaranteed at Tigne', in line with Parliament's recent approval of legislation concerning such matters. 

Sliema local councillors also unanimously agreed that any possible contractual shortcomings by MIDI should be investigated. 

Al fresco dining: Sliema council wants enforcement

The system is set to do away with multiple permits from the MEPA, Transport Malta and the Lands Department, but it remains unclear which entity would clamp down on those establishments breaching the new rules.

James Debono
Malta Today 5 November 2015
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/58936/al_fresco_dining_sliema_council_wants_enforcement#.VjskQmLTXJs‏

A new planning policy which proposes a one stop system for permits for establishments setting tables and chairs on public land fails to indicate which entity would be responsible for the enforcement of the new rules.

The system is set to do away with multiple permits from the MEPA, Transport Malta and the Lands Department, but it remains unclear which entity would clamp down on those establishments breaching the new rules.

The Sliema council – one of the councils most affected by the new rules due to the large number of establishments along its promenades – expressed disappointment that “there is no mention as to which entity will be responsible for enforcement” of the proposed regulations. 

In its submissions to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority on the policy proposed to regulate the sector, the council insisted that the success of such a policy was highly dependent on the level of enforcement in place. 

Moreover the council laments that the role of local councils in enforcement will be weakened considerably through the new planning laws in view of the removal of part of the present planning act which states that a number of minor encroachments on public property “can be removed at the request of any public authority, including the local council”. 

Neither does the policy oblige public authorities to consult with local councils when issuing permits for outside catering establishments. The Sliema council is insisting on the right of local councils to have the legal basis to request the removal of illegally positioned tables and chairs.

The new policy, if approved, will ban new kiosks from setting tables and chairs outside. But it will allow restaurants to place tables and chairs to half the width of public promenades or belvederes. The policy indicates that in these cases, tables and chairs have to be set facing the road, with pedestrians having the space facing the sea.

Even on promenades, the area reserved for pedestrians is set at a minimum of 1.5 metres – which is barely the space required for two people to walk side by side. 

The new law also regulates the setting up of tables and chairs on both sides of any pavement with a width greater than 2.7 metres. In such cases a 1.5-metre minimum corridor has to be kept as a free passageway for pedestrians.  

Will the wardens system improve?

Times of Malta, 2 November 2015

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20151102/opinion/Will-the-warden-system-improve.590611

Some months ago, Local Councils Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo said that the warden system had become a ‘ticket-issuing machine’ which required change.

In his words, government’s reform in the sector “will transform wardens from Gestapo officers hiding behind trees ready to suck the money out of citizens’ pockets into friends of our community”. Consequently the new system would be credible, sustainable and would take on a more civil and educational role.

Through the new system, a government agency will regulate the sector and will procure warden services from private operators at a fixed price.

Will this reform produce a better enforcement system?

I for one am not convinced that a centralised agency under the control of central government is the best way forward. True, such an agency may benefit from economies of scale, but on the other hand it may add another layer of bureaucracy to a system which is already characterised by too much red tape and too little transparency and effective results.

Perhaps it would have been better to have a system which gives more power to local councils, which, after all, are more in touch with their localities’ immediate needs.

Questions have also been raised on the method of appointment of the head of the new government agency. It is a political one on the basis of trust, and not on merit through an open, public call for applications.

I do acknowledge that certain positions within the public sector require persons of trust. But I fail to see how the head of an enforcement agency should be handpicked by the respective minister (or prime minister).

Consequently, will the head be loyal to the political whims of his political masters? Will this result in uneven enforcement, for example when elections are approaching?

Notwithstanding the issues I mentioned above, I wish to refer to certain matters which I hope will be tackled by the new agency.

Such a centralised agency may benefit from economies of scale, but on the other hand it may add another layer of bureaucracy

First, I hope that wardens take action against heavy polluters. These include many old cars, certain delivery vans, certain minibuses and coaches, a good deal of construction trucks and other vehicles. They are not only producing pollution levels which should not be tolerated in any self-respecting society but, in the case of commercial vehicles, they are a source of unfair competition to others. For example, in the waste collection sector, some companies are using new trucks which produce minimal pollution, whilst others are using trucks which are only fit for scrapping.

Second, wardens should enforce on bus lanes. I recently learned that only 12 tickets were issued on the Sliema-Gzira one. Is this right, when cowboy drivers frequently swerve into the bus lane at high speed, to the danger of pedestrians and to the frustration of other drivers who follow regulations?

Third, wardens should take immediate action against construction trucks blocking roads without a local council permit, cars parked abusively on pavements, public spaces and other areas for a length of time. I do agree that at times drivers have no choice but to park temporarily in non-parking spaces in the case of deliveries, transportation of kids or elderly persons, and so forth, but this is a far cry from those who permanently park their cars in public areas such as disability ramps and beaches.

In this regard, it is imperative that wardens operate around the clock. As things stand, it is more likely to see wardens operating during office hours, but everyone knows that enforcement is required at all times of the day, including weekends, when local council offices are closed.

Finally, Malta’s enforcement system should make more use of green wardens. Currently, they are too costly for cash-stripped local councils, and hence their deployment is minimal. No wonder that dog pooh, rubbish bags and other unsightly waste feature prominently in various parts of the country.

I agree with Buontempo that wardens have an important educational role. This can help increase a sense of civic pride and respect. But I also wish to remind him that when front seatbelt legislation was introduced, it was the fining system which made it work. The same cannot be said for seatbelts at rear seats.

Road maps and roads

Michael Briguglio
Times of Malta, 3rd August 2015
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150803/opinion/Road-maps-and-roads.579094

The mismanagement of the Coast Road development hit the headlines these past days. This is not a surprise, given that public concern on traffic has increased. This has much to do with the government’s underperformance in terms of policymaking and policy implementation in this field.

The hefty increase in traffic is due to various reasons. Among others, these include one’s ‘freedom’ when driving a car and the fact that the public transport system keeps failing to deliver.

When Transport Minister Joe Mizzi demonised everything Arriva, he raised public expectations on the new public transport operator. Government subsidy to private operators and bus fares increased too. Ultimately, this is backfiring because it does not seem that the increases have been matched by a better service.

The increase in traffic has also got to do with the government’s lack of awareness on the need for holistic planning and on the perils of overdeveloping. The proposed 38- and 40-storey towers just a few metres away from each other in Tigné, Sliema is a case in point.

The area is already over-congested with cars, yet, thousands more will result due to these developments and new parking spaces will only cover a small fraction of the resultant demand.

One can also refer to the situation faced by many local councils, which do not have enough financial means to carry out urgently-needed roadworks. Instead of resorting to a decentralised system, which enables the council to generate revenue to cover such costs, the government is over-centralising, thus reducing local councils to beggars at ministers’ whims. Such methods are more common in less democratic societies.

Bus lanes, commendable as they are, also fall in the category of mismanagement. A bus lane is not simply about painting markings on a road and fixing some signs. It is much more about proper education, implementation and enforcement.

Taking the Sliema-Gżira bus lane as an example, one can unfortunately predict tragic accidents waiting to happen. At every time of the day, many irresponsible cowboy drivers speed along the bus lane to the dismay of pedestrians and bicycle users and to the anger of other drivers who observe traffic regulations.

Strict enforcement at random throughout all days of the week is required, together with more effective street lighting to enhance visibility.

Another area that is characterised by very poor enforcement is the pedestrians’ rights on pavements, especially along promenades. The number of vendors who are mushrooming, especially in tourist zones, is resulting in lack of walking space.

Apart from stalls, trailers, make-do rooms and so forth, pedestrians have to contend with signs, A-frames and other obstacles, sometimes even on ramps, which were designed for the access of persons with disability, parents with push chairs and the elderly.

Once again, it seems that centralisation is becoming the order of the day, wherein orders from ‘above’ are required to take concrete action.

I hope that the lack of enforcement in this matter is not related to some Malta tagħna lkoll electoral obligation.

The cherry on the cake on Malta’s transport matters must be the emissions from cars. I had the opportunity to write about this earlier this year, in the Times of Malta, on February 9, when I commented on the ridiculous under-enforcement with regard to emissions, according to official government statistics.

I do not envy Mizzi who is responsible for such a challenging ministry and I do empathise with the fact that problem solving takes time. However, I am sure that the minister can show some signs of hands-on implementation in various matters falling under his responsibility.

To begin with, enforcement should be stepped up in many areas. How about beginning by giving a genuine push to the SMS system where civic-minded citizens report cars thatg are over-emitting?

In a country which has one of the oldest car fleets and one of the highest number of cars per person in the EU, but which also happens to be the smallest member State, effective governance on transport is more urgent than ever.

Bicycling group applauds Sliema local council for road-sharing initiative

The Malta Independent 7/7/15
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-07-07/local-news/Bicycling-group-applauds-Sliema-council-for-road-sharing-initative-6736138460

The Bicycling Advocacy Group has applauded the Sliema Local Council’s efforts to raise awareness about cyclists using Tower Road by placing cyclist awareness signage warning drivers about the presence of cyclists. The signage also makes it clear that cyclists should not use the pavement.

The group sees this as a win-win situation and something that should have occurred at the same time as the signage that legally required cyclists under 12 to dismount on the promenade.

The group went on to challenge other local councils to identify safe corridors and routes through their own localities for cyclists. No local councils in Malta were able to answer the group’s recent survey that asked if it was possible to get from one side of their village safely and efficiently on a bicycle. Sliema Local Council is the first to come up with a plan. It’s simple and effective, and importantly on one of Malta’s key commuting routes, and it is clearly streets ahead of anyone else, the group's spokesman said.

Summer in Sliema

As we head into Summer, the Sliema Local Council will be involved in various activities, events and initiatives.

The Sliema Arts Festival will take place between 17 and 19 July, and promises to provide an exciting mix of activities which will cater for different tastes and styles. One can read more about the Festival elsewhere in the Sliema magazine and in other local council promotional material.

During the summer months, much focus will be made on Sliema’s beaches. Daily requirements such as accessibility, cleanliness and safety are top priorities for the Local Council which works in collaboration with Government Departments and entities in this regard.

I appeal to everyone using Sliema’s beaches to keep them as clean as possible, and also not to park cars on the rocks or other no-parking areas. Unfortunately, litter such as dog droppings, cigarette buts and plastic bottles are ever-present, despite the daily clean-ups and enforcement from wardens

Accessibility is also a major priority in play areas and other facilities in Sliema. The upgrading of the children’s playing area at Independence Garden was recently awarded for its accessibility features. This was an encouraging achievement for the local council and inspires us to keep giving priority to accessibility in upcoming projects.

The Sliema Council is also highly concerned with the Chalet structure, which suffered damage during the Winter months. Discussions are on the way to see what can be done to ensure safety and devise alternatives to the decaying structure.

During summer, the Local Council will be providing lessons in reading and writing in Maltese and English for Primary school children. Besides, applications will for the highly popular courses in Lifelong Learning and Performative Arts will be available between July 15 and August 7 from this website: http://lifelonglearning.gov.mt/. A wide range of courses will be on offer for the upcoming academic year. Sliema’s public library at Blanche Huber Street will be open as usual and I invite residents to make use of its services, which include lending of books and internet.

On a final note, my roles in the Local Council have been confirmed by Mayor Anthony Chircop, for which I thank him. Hence, I have been confirmed as Chairperson for the committees for Education and for Accessibility and Disability; I am a member in the Finance, Tenders and EU Committees; and I also am a new member of the Committee for Public Gardens, Playing Fields and Promenade. My responsibilities for Coastal Environment and for Environmental pollution have been confirmed, too.

I invite those interested in contributing to these areas/committees to contact me at mbrig@hotmail.com

This article appears in Sliema Local Council magazine, Summer 2015
Click here for online view

New Responsibilities as Councillor

In yesterday's Local Council meeting, Sliema Mayor Anthony Chircop re-assigned resposibilities to councillors. My responsibilities are as follows:

Chairperson Education;
Chairperson Committee for Accessibility and Disability;
Member - Committee for Public Gardens, Playing Fields and Promenade;
Member - Finance Committee;
Member - Tenders Committee;
Coastal Environment;
Environmental Pollution (Air, Traffic, Noise);
Member - EU Funding Committee

Those willing to assist in any of these areas are welcome to contact me at mbrig@hotmail.com