The parking problem

Few people consider parking as something that may affect one's quality of life. In my experience as mayor of Pietà - a locality which, to put it mildly suffers from acute parking problems - I have come to realise that the everyday frustration of commuters desperately searching for a space to park their car, which in most cases is their second most valuable asset after their home, is adversely affecting everybody both as individuals and as a community.

I have seen normally tranquil, peace-loving and considerate individuals pounce at each other's throats, because they believe that the other person nicked "their" parking space. I know of next-door neighbours who have not been on speaking terms for years because of some incident concerning parking.

I believe the parking problem in Malta in no longer a trivial matter, but something that has to be addressed systematically and by introducing the appropriate legislation.

The first element that contributes towards this problem is that the majority (myself included) do their utmost to park right in front of their destination and the idea of parking within even a few minutes' walking distance is anathema.

The truth is that given the amount of cars on the road and the parking spaces available, this is not always possible. What we are actually doing when we drive in circles around the block is gambling against the odds that we would eventually win the jackpot and find an ideal parking place in front of the office, shop or home, thus making our day.

We have all at some time or other criticised the public transport system, but I firmly believe that even if our buses were state-of-the-art and the system worked like clockwork, we would still prefer using our car rather than a bus, because let's face it, despite everything, a car is more convenient. This does not mean that we should not carry on striving to improve our public transport. I sincerely believe that an efficient public transport system would contribute positively towards taking some pressure off our roads.

Although the public transport system requires substantial investment, so, in my opinion, do parking amenities. People who in the last few years have invested in private car parks are reportedly reaping a satisfactory return on their investment. There are areas on the outskirts of localities with heavy commuter traffic that could easily be rehabilitated as parking areas.

The local and central authorities should assist in the setting up of an infrastructure to make these areas more convenient and accessible to commuters. Some areas on the periphery of Valletta, for example, may be used to increase parking amenities for visitors to our capital, although obviously the pros and cons of this have to be weighed.

The problem is that legislation on parking and related matters is totally lacking. As mayor, I have tried to challenge a loophole in the law, which gives no legal definition of a garage. A garage is meant to be premises within which vehicles are parked or stored. However the Motor Vehicle Regulations do not qualify this, but state that no obstruction should be made in front of premises which are clearly marked and used as a garage.

People take advantage of this by placing "Garage - No Parking" stickers on premises that are not used as garages, thus guaranteeing reserved parking facilities for themselves.

My council introduced a policy whereby owners of garages were encouraged to register their garage with the council and after due inspection, the council would give applicants an official council sticker declaring the premises to be a garage and paint a yellow box outside the garage.

Furthermore, the council had made arrangements with the Local Tribunal and the police whereby the registration form could be used as evidence by garage owners to prove that the premises were a bona-fide garage in the event that entrance or exit was obstructed.

I had drafted the appropriate bye-laws and presented them to the appropriate authorities for their approval; however no encouragement was forthcoming. Consequently the council decided to adopt the provisions of the proposed bye-laws as a policy within the Pietà locality. However, it does not have the strength of the law.

Overall, though, it was a success, because it increased parking space by allowing parking in front of premises that were not used as garages. This met with the disapproval of the Ombudsman, who commended our initiative, but nevertheless gave us a slap on the wrist!

Loading and unloading spaces in front of commercial establishments are another legal lacuna. Most times they only serve as reserved parking for shop-owners. Again, the local councils should adopt a policy on how, where and whether or not such facilities should be granted depending on the particular need of the neighbourhood. Do we grant a loading and unloading zone in front of every commercial outlet or do we dedicate a specific zone for a specific time for deliveries to and from commercial premises?

There is now a call for residential parking, which is prevalent in most towns and cities abroad. Various papers written and submitted by the central government authorities on the matter. Here again, local councils should take up the challenge and endeavour to find an adequate system and identify zones to introduce this new concept within their localities.

Although the mechanism should be common to all councils, each individual council should implement a local parking strategy to facilitate parking for residents, which at the same time does not discriminate against visitors to the locality.

As a candidate for the first electoral district, which embraces localities that all have acute parking problems because they attract large volumes of commuters, here I have merely presented my thoughts on a subject requiring urgent attention.

Malcolm Mifsud, LL.M. (IMLI), LL.D., is mayor of Pietà and a prospective PN candidate for the First District