Rabat residents plead for action

A highly unpopular traffic system for Rabat, which has left many residents dazed with the effects of the volume of traffic thrown their way, may be changed soon, hopefully in a way to assuage many of the ill feelings the system has created.

It was last October when Borg Olivier Street, the road leading from Saqqajja to Buskett or Dingli, was made one-way.

Residents in that street had rightly and for years been complaining about the volume of traffic in their street, with buses or other heavy vehicles often getting stuck against oncoming traffic.

But when Borg Olivier Street, obviously with only little forward planning, was made one-way in the direction of Buskett, the result was calamitous: all traffic, including Dingli drivers, started using the centre of Rabat - Kola Xara, St Mary and Count Roger streets, or Kola Xara and College streets - to leave the town.

The residents in those streets suddenly found their way of life changed beyond belief. Their homes have become polluted, the fume-belching traffic often coming to a stop in front of their doorstep in their narrow streets.

Crossing the road, in some cases already a hazard, became a game of chance with death. Hundreds of schoolchildren in the government school in Kola Xara Street found themselves overnight making their way among moving traffic, where before the traffic had been banned.

The situation is complicated by Dingli, with Dingli mayor Joseph Mary Abela not accepting to have his residents' needs disregarded.

"That (Borg Olivier Street) was always our way, we want it to remain so," he insisted when contacted, pitting the inconvenience of a few minutes' longer drive against health considerations. "Dingli residents want to have the shortest possible way to Valletta. They don't want their journey lengthened," he argues.

Dingli council, which simply refuses to accept that Dingli traffic going to Valletta could turn into Vjal il-Haddiem, because, the council claims, it makes the journey longer, has proposed its own solution: build a road from the computer centre, to Ghar Barka and on to Mtarfa bypass.

Vjal il-Haddiem, which also leads to Mtarfa bypass, is fairly wide, residential on one side only, and on the periphery of Rabat.

Building a road as Dingli is proposing would be a solution for the village - but calls into question the sincerity of one of the arguments Dingli makes for its case to have Borg Olivier Street two-way.

The argument is that directing Dingli traffic to Vjal il-Haddiem would deprive Rabat businesses of Dingli residents' custom.

The new road proposal would do that just as effectively.

Rabat residents who last year had petitioned their council, Transport Minister Censu Galea and the Traffic Management Directorate (the former Traffic Control Board), had suggested a solution - Dingli traffic would be barred from going beyond the fork to the left, leading into Vjal il-Haddiem, meaning that traffic would have to turn into Vjal il-Haddiem on its way to Valletta.

That is not acceptable to Dingli council, but is now being considered in spite of Dingli's objections. Roads leading to Kola Xara Street from Vjal il-Haddiem would likely also have to be made one-way.

Another solution being considered is to make that part of Borg Olivier Street from Count Roger Street to the Saqqajja, one-way as well.

If traffic from Kola Xara Street takes College Street instead of St Mary-Count Roger streets, drivers can either turn left into St Rita Street to Mtarfa by-pass, or go down narrow St Paul Street.

So another proposal is also being considered, which is to bar traffic in the parish square from proceeding towards St Paul Street, meaning that traffic in the square would have to take St Rita Street.

The proposals seem in effect to direct traffic leaving Rabat to two exits: St Rita Street and Vjal il-Haddiem.

St Rita Street would be inaccessible on Sunday mornings, when the monti market is held there. Which means that traffic in the parish square would have to go to Hal Bajjada or St Cataldus Square to go anywhere, if it is not allowed to go down St Paul Street.

A highly charged meeting called by Rabat council some days ago, discussed the situation. Some suggested making Borg Olivier Street two-way again, which would mean burdening that street's residents with a problem the other residents find unbearable.

Rabat mayor Rudolf Grima has found himself a bête noire with his constituents.

The council, like Dingli, believes that Borg Olivier Street should be two-way. "It is a major artery," Mr Grima argues. "It does not make sense to have it one-way."

Accusations relating to the family's petrol station business have flown Mr Grima's way. But, Mr Grima rightly points out, his is not the last say on the council, where the councillors can outvote him on anything with which they disagree.

Minister Galea is hoping that a final decision will be taken soon. It is in the offing, he said when contacted.

"We have to re-route traffic," he says. "It was inexplicable that motorists preferred to use Rabat centre to get to Valletta, and we need to redirect the traffic."

Which implies there had been little forward thinking about the possible effects of making Borg Olivier Street one-way.

Having insisted on the October 1 introduction of the current system, and seen the bitter feelings it has created, the minister is realistic enough to admit there will still be those who will find fault with whatever is proposed.

"The idea will be, ultimately, the general good," he said. "Some will be badly affected, but whatever we do, will hurt someone. We will try to minimise that."

The residents hope the solution will not be long in coming. They have put up with the intolerable situation for nine months, have pointed out the difficulties created for them, and seen sympathy for their case.

What they want now is action.

Mr Galea said they had to consider every change carefully.

"Nine months is long enough to consider," the residents say.