Transport Minister Ian Borg has distanced himself from plans to introduce residential parking in Sliema, saying that he only agreed to running a transport study in the locality.

“A pilot project will not take place, the local council asked me if a study carried out by experts will be considered, and I confirmed that it will be," Borg told Times of Malta on Wednesday. 

"I also offered our help, so that the experts for these studies to be carried out will be chosen and modelled for a solution unique to Sliema, and then we go on from there."

The minister met with Sliema councillors on Tuesday, to discuss its calls for residential parking to be introduced.

Yesterday, in a Facebook post, the council said the minister was receptive to plans and had acknowledged that Sliema had previously been granted such a scheme. Both sides had agreed to carry out a transport study, the council said. 

The "transport planner study" will include consultations with various stakeholders, and "will include consultation with the various stakeholders involved to present a holistic and efficient solution tailor made for the locality".

It will be financed by the Transport Ministry, with Sliema council responsible for it. 

Mayor and minister disagree

Mayor Graziella Attard Previ had told Times of Malta the meeting with the minister was “positive” and said the minister had approved the reintroduction of the residential parking scheme. 

“He (Ian Borg) approved the reintroduction of the scheme… and both sides agreed that the best way to introduce this was through a study that will identify how the bays will be laid out,” she said.

Yet, Borg disagreed with such a claim. 

“What we agreed on is that the local council will commission the study. Now this morning I woke up to a number of mayors and local councils who asked if they’re (Sliema) are doing a pilot project. It’s not a pilot project, we are studying the situation in Sliema and we will see what the experts have to say.”

Borg said the government's position on the matter has remained the same since his predecessor, Joe Mizzi. 

“We have a situation where some localities do have some zones where there is parking reserved for residents and there are others who had pending applications that are still pending.”

Earlier this month, Attard Previ said the council is proposing a six-month pilot project to closely monitor the pros and cons of residential parking, and to analyse whether it is sustainable or if it works specifically in certain zones. 

A planned residential parking scheme had met with protests a few years ago and had to be cancelled.