Attard residents' and cyclists' groups have made a final appeal to the Planning Authority to seriously consider objections to the controversial Central Link road project ahead of an expected decision on Thursday.
 
The proposed €55 million upgrading project, intended to alleviate congestion between Ta’ Qali and Attard, is recommended for approval despite the Environment and Resources Authority expressing significant concerns over the loss of agricultural land and the uprooting of hundreds of protected trees. 

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Attard Residents Environmental Network and the Bicycle Advocacy Group, both staunch opponents of the project, appealed for common sense to prevail. 

‘Suggestions and proposals have been ignored’ - NGOs

The groups noted that the project would entail the loss of 48,000 square metres of agricultural land - around the size of seven football pitches - and the destruction of 600 mature trees, to make way for additional car lanes and junctions. 

They also noted that cultural infrastructure close to St Paul’s Chapel would either be directly affected by demolition or at risk of damage during works. 

Some 1,200 residents, the groups said, would be isolated from the centre of the village by the new roads, while air and noise pollution would also increase. 

The groups also highlighted the inadequacy of cycle and pedestrian infrastructure across the seven junctions from Rabat to Mrieħel, which they said would create a danger for anyone trying to cross. 

Transport and planning minister Ian Borg announcing the Central Link project in May 2018. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina.

“We have submitted various proposals to the government including alternative routes, better traffic management, safe bicycle networks and the construction of a tunnel or construction of a new road below the existing street level in order to decrease the noise pollution,” they said. 

“Despite reassurance that new plans will take into consideration these proposals, these crucial points were never taken up and repeatedly ignored.”

‘Misguided project which will fail to truly deliver’ - PD

The Democratic Party (PD) on Wednesday slammed the project as ‘misguided’ because of the government’s failure to recognise the concept of induced demand, where widening roads to increase capacity for cars merely leads to more cars on the road.
 
“Alternative means of transport, including friendly cycle lanes, should be the mainstay of our transport policy. The damage to farmers' livelihoods, the loss of more agricultural land, and the destruction of heritage and culture mean that the only way forward if we are to add to the infrastructure of the area would be an elevated bypass,” PD said. 

The party also criticised the “political nature” of the project, which it said had taken precedence over any real benefit to the community. 

Induced demand: will the Central Link work?

Environmental studies carried out for the project show that it will prevent “total gridlock” and “alarming” levels of emissions within the next 10 years, but will not alone be enough to improve travel times and air quality in the area, and will merely maintain the status quo.
 
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) cited “clear evidence that new or expanded roads rapidly fill with displaced or induced traffic, offsetting any short-term gains in eased traffic flows”.  

So, according to the studies, if the upgrade is not carried out, peak morning travel times would increase nearly three times over by 2030, and more than eight times over by 2045. 

But even with the project in place, travel times will not be reduced below 2019 levels, and will in fact increase marginally. 

“With a present rate of 33 new cars being introduced on Maltese roads every day, the capacity of the upgraded roads will eventually be reached unless the availability and use of alternative/public modes of transport is amplified,” the study notes.