Highway code revision

The time has come to revise our antiquated highway code.

The copy published in 2000, itself a lacklustre 1980s’ copy of the borrowed HMSO document, is no longer fit for purpose. It significantly misses a number of EU road safety principles that even the tiny island of Gibraltar and the UK have adopted, in quite separate publications.

The new revision should include the common EU provision that left turning vehicles should give way to all road users on the main road, carrying straight on. This would have two benefits. Firstly, EU (and UK) citizens, visiting Malta would be less confused about walking, cycling and driving in Malta, reducing local accidents and insurance costs. Secondly, local drivers would be used to this rule when driving in the EU, or the UK, again reducing accidents and the possibility of prosecution.

Other commonly found EU refinements could be: a hierarchy of road users, presumed liability, a 1.0 or 1.5m passing law and the inclusion of many missing modern road signs and road markings from our local highway code.

Jim Wightman  – St Julian’s

Vans and other private cars, including a badly damaged one have been using the spaces at a car park in Salina for weeks and months on end.Vans and other private cars, including a badly damaged one have been using the spaces at a car park in Salina for weeks and months on end.

Car park abuse

Allow me to express my frustration regarding the use of a car park near our restaurant in Salina. There is also another restaurant close by.

After the construction of the new coast road, we were left with no parking at all. Thanks to the authorities, a new car park for residents and patrons of our restaurants was build. However, some car spaces have been occupied by vehicles for more than a year.

An abandoned car waiting to be collected by a panel beater.An abandoned car waiting to be collected by a panel beater.

Some of them serve as a billboard (saving hundreds of euros every month), others are waiting to be picked up by a panel beater.

Some car dealers use the car park as a showroom, displaying cars for sale. Some of the vehicles parked there are not roadworthy and have been abandoned for months. Vendor trucks remain there overnight.

Other vehicles already have a parking ticket and, yet, they still occupy car spaces for months.

I have complained to the authorities on several occasions but they so not seem to bother at all.

When I got the permit and licence for my restaurant, I had to pay €23,500 for street parking for our patrons. Why is this injustice allowed?

Manuel Attard – Ta’ Cassia Salina Restaurant

 

 

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