Mosta residents are divided on whether Mosta Square should remain closed to weekend traffic, but the business community appears to be practically unanimous that it should be reopened.

The square started being closed off on Saturday evenings and Sundays earlier this year, with traffic diverted away from the centre.

But earlier this month, the new mayor, Joseph Gatt, said that the partial pedestrianisation of the square was being reconsidered due to a string of complaints from residents and businesses in the area.

Residents complained of heavy traffic along the alternative routes, and businesses said customers were staying away.

The mayor moved a resolution before the council late on Tuesday suggesting that the partial pedestrianisation stops from the first weekend of September.

Transport Minister Chris Bonett has since thrown his weight behind keeping the square pedestrianised on weekends.

Times of Malta spoke with Mosta residents and business operators to understand how the square’s pedestrianisation affects them.

Several business owners declined to answer on video because they felt uncomfortable discussing what they viewed as a political issue.

Andreas Kuemmert thinks the pedestrianisation is a great idea. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Andreas Kuemmert, a German expat and father of a two-year-old, has been a Mosta resident for seven years.

He believes the pedestrianisation of the square was “the best thing to happen to Mosta”.

Kuemmert said the square should be pedestrianised 24/7 to enable tourists to appreciate the Mosta Dome without the distraction of traffic.

Maria, 81, a long-term Mosta resident, also favoured the square staying closed on weekends.

“It is better closed off to traffic.  It is nice to see it empty (of cars); you get exhausted having to deal with cars every day.”

Maria enjoys the pedestrianisation because it means she can go to mass in peace. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Inside the Nicolo Isouard Band Club, Joseph, Stephen, Karmnu, and Jimmy all agreed with Maria.

They said that the square should remain as it is so that they could enjoy their Sundays in peace and away from traffic.

Business owners against pedestrianisation

However, Times of Malta could not find a single business owner who supported keeping the square closed to weekend traffic. Two pastizzeria operators said the traffic closure has negatively affected their business.

Christian, who works at Sphinx, noticed a drop in customers since the square was closed to traffic. He believes the mayor's reconsideration was a sign of people's will.

“Had the people been happy with how it was, they would have just voted for Labour again,” he remarked.

Kurt Galea said that the blocking of traffic has had negative repercussions on his business Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Kurt Galea, who works at the Premier Pastizzeria, agreed that the square's closure to traffic had negatively affected business.

The square, he said, had become “a cemetery. No one passes from here - no cars, nothing.” Keeping the square closed off was pointless, he added.

As beautiful as he thinks the square is, Frans Sultana, who is Gozitan but has lived in Mosta for over 50 years, also described it as a "cemetery".

“The idea was for people to enjoy a walk in the square, but the truth is that the people are not turning up."

Frans Sultana thinks although the square looks wonderful the pedestrianisation hasn't worked Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Traffic arrangements

Sisters Mary Bilocca and Margaret Borg, born and raised in Mosta, similarly favoured opening the square to traffic again because no one was visiting the piazza.

They also said it would help alleviate traffic elsewhere.

Meanwhile, residents and business operators on both sides of the argument complained about the area's traffic arrangements.

They noted that drivers who attempt a U-turn on Constitution Street - Mosta’s main road near the square - are being fined and losing penalty points.

Instead of using the square as a roundabout, they must continue driving through Mosta before finding a place to turn around.