In a recent article in the Times of Malta about hip fractures (June 22), a surgeon was quoted as saying that “pavements are a disaster”. And he is absolutely right.
Most Maltese pavements pose hazards to pedestrians, especially to elderly people and those needing to push baby carriages or shopping trollies and those who need to use wheelchairs. Uneven and cluttered pavements are leading to fear of walking, injury and, possibly, death.
The factors that lead to such hazards are numerous and can be grouped in two parts – uneven surfaces and the obstruction of passageway.
Business activity is a key culprit in encroaching on public space: one common form of obstruction is the occupation of pavements by shop owners, mostly of restaurants, who place tables and chairs, and other furniture, outside.
Apart from reducing the passageway for pedestrians, many restaurants also hinder movement of passers-by because of the comings and goings of waiters from the shop and groups of people reading the menu posted outside the shop. Clients waiting outside the shop to be seated contribute to pavement obstruction.
Another is construction activity, which gives rise to obstructed pavements, especially when the (typically ramshackle) scaffolding is placed partly on the pavements, narrowing (and, sometimes, barring) access to pedestrians. Construction debris left on the pavement poses additional hazards. Some contractors leave loose bricks on pavements – later to be used as no-parking signs.
The government and other services also occupy pavements: electricity poles, traffic signs, distribution boxes and some so-called ‘embellishments’ are cases in point.
Households sometimes place shrubs outside their door. Waste bags left for hours can block entire pavements. Dog owners who fail to clean up after their pets create further obstacles.
Many (including myself) often prefer to walk on the road rather than on a roughly surfaced or obstructed pavements when traffic is light and only mount the pavement when a car comes their way. In such a situation, therefore, a small section of the pavement becomes a sort of emergency exit to avoid being hit by a car.
One reason why pavements are uneven is that sections are used as a ramp for garages. In some cases, the incline of the ramp is so steep that pedestrians would need to get off the pavement or risk slipping. This is a case where the car is given priority over pedestrians.
Other factors that lead to uneven surfaces are protruding edges of tiles or slabs in the case of paved pavements (sometimes due to lack of skilled workmanship) and improperly laid covers of holes for underground drainage and cables.
Business activity is a key culprit in encroaching on public space- Lino Briguglio
To make matters worse, some of these covers, mostly those made of plastic, get damaged and remain unreplaced for a long time. In some cases, unevenness is the result of bulging by the force of tree roots.
These hazards are exacerbated by a lack of maintenance by the authorities. For example, we often see damaged pavements, including displaced stone edgings, often caused by heavy construction vehicles, left unrepaired.
As I shall argue below, some of the changes that need to be done about obstruction of pavements are mostly administrative ones, and very doable, but, in the case of uneven surfaces, there may be the need for structural modifications.
First and foremost, there must be a political will to remedy the situation. I think this is of paramount importance but, unfortunately, the authorities are not showing much interest in remedying the situation. Despite consistent calls for making pavements safer and more accessible to pedestrians, these have generally fallen on deaf ears.
Second, removing illegal obstructions and enforcement of present laws would go a long way towards a solution. While this may be seen as being unfriendly to business, it lays a fair and level playing field for all. Permitted obstructions should not be renewed and, when possible, terminated straightaway.
Third, scaffolding on pavements – which is allowable under certain conditions and of which many contractors take advantage to save money – should be a last resort and should accommodate a safe and accessible walking space.
The unevenness of pavements is a harder nut to crack as it can be costly and technically difficult to fix. Let us start with the most doable in a reasonably short period of time. Some dangerous pavements can be fixed by resurfacing them, ensuring that there are no protruding edges of tiles and cobbles stones and that
all covers of underground drainage holes and culverts, cable channels and inspection chambers are properly laid and made of durable material.
Removing the danger of car ramps on the pavements is obviously not an easy task and may require redesigning the exit of garages, which is not always easy or even possible to do. However, we can, at least, start with new buildings, to have these designed in such a way as to make do without turning pavements into car ramps.
Existing ramps on pavements should be removed and replaced – when possible – with an incline built inside the garage, possibly through a government-assisted scheme. In extreme cases, and when safe to do so, a small section of the road can be used as a ramp. There is also the possibility that pavement ramps be replaced by removable ones.
The aim of all this is to render pavements even and unobstructed, making them accessible and safe for people to walk on.
Lino Briguglio is a senior fellow at the University of Malta and administrator of the Facebook group ‘Bankini u Aċċessibiltà’.