GRTU surveys Mellieha businesses on Council proposal

GRTU has written to Mellieha Mayor Mr Robert Cutajar informing him that as promised is mediating talks with members of the Mellieha business community over measures to reduce the level of pollution in the area and solve the problem of traffic congestion and lack of parking.

The Mellieha council has proposed to pedestrianise the major shopping area in order to provide a solution to these problems, GRTU however, representing the majority of the outlets in the main shopping area in Mellieha, mainly in George  Borg Olivier Street, informed the Council that the proposal is not an easy one.

GRTU is not opposing to what the Local Council is proposing, however the issue is delicate as the proposal might have negative effects on the business community. GRTU has discussed the Council's extremely innovative proposal  with its members and the first reactions towards the Council's proposal were that the business community will suffer loss in business if this proposal will materialise.

GRTU has commissioned a survey among its members in the area, and intends to discuss the results during a meeting with the Council;

Fifty-seven (57) GRTU members took part in the survey out of the sixty seven (67) who were eligible to participate.

Thirty two (32) respondents opposed the idea of Borg Olivier Street being pedestrianised, while only six (6) were in favour of this idea.

A large majority of respondents also opposed the idea of a partial pedestrianisation of the road, such as on Saturday afternoons, on Saturdays, when activities are organised in the street, on public holidays or during the Christmas period.

The respondents were almost equally divided, however, over whether the road should be closed to public transport;

Twenty four (24) respondents said buses should continue to be allowed to pass through Borg Olivier Street, while twenty three (23) opposed to this.

Twenty four (24) respondents said the parking situation should remain unchanged while sixteen (16) replied in the negative. Twelve (12) of those questioned agreed that parking should be allowed on one side of the road while twenty (20) opposed this idea. A huge majority of respondents, forty three (43) agreed that MEPA should give the go ahead for new parking spaces to be made available.

Forty three (43) respondents agreed that the current two way traffic system in the street should continue, while fourteen (14) disagreed with this.

GRTU is awaiting to meet the Local Council to discuss the survey and the next steps.