CVA to be revised, Minister Joe Mizzi encourages the private sector to propose Innovative traffic and parking solutions

As part of its pre-budget meetings GRTU met Minister for Transport Joe Mizzi since it has highlighted transport and parking as a main challenge that hindering business competitiveness.

GRTU President Paul Abela said that traffic and parking are two elements that are reducing productivity and are discouraging consumers from going to the shops. He said that the problem in localities such as Valletta and Sliema 

is in need of immediate action and requested incentives to increase the parking capacity and incentives for the private sector to offer solutions to the current problem.

Mr Abela also reiterated GRTU’s complaint that port charges will once again go up and this is making Maltese businesses uncompetitive. In reply James Piscopo, Chairman of Transport Malta assured GRTU that its complaints have not fallen on deaf ears. In fact he said that the full extent of the agreement with the private operator is being considered and analysed and a study is being conducted to assess how competitive are the Maltese ports in comparison with that of our neighbours and other countries in the Mediterranean and the EU.

In relation to transport the Minister said that a lot of effort is being done to increase the efficiency and reliability of the public transport system. He said that incentives targeting the private sector are also in the pipeline and welcomed GRTU’s proposal to incentivise companies to provide combined delivery system services. He also invited the GRTU to come forward with other private sector proposals that will alleviate the current traffic and parking problems and said that the Ministry will help these projects materialise and put in place the necessary incentives.

On the CVA, GRTU complained heavily that the system is a failure and needs a complete overhaul. The parking availabilities do not make sense. First and foremost the parking capacity has shrunk significantly and while residents are catered for two fold, other people coming into Valletta were very limited in their parking options. While the system is making money from people coming into Valletta no improvements in the parking and traffic situation in Valletta was made.

The Minister recognised the shortcomings of the CVA system and assured the GRTU that as a main stakeholder it will be consulted so that the system is improved. The revision should take place next year.