The University of Malta (UM) feels that conveyed misconceived impressions, thus the University would like to clarify the following points.
The University of Malta Sports Complex development including the two-storey car park has drawn positive feedback from diverse Sports Organisations, students and staff, as well as the mayors of neighbouring communities and several residents, but only strident criticism from the current KTP President Perit Andre Pizzuto however in his own personal capacity as he has vested interest in the area.
The permit for the car park (PA9771/19), which will complement the state-of-the-art Sports Complex (PA1402/17) at the University of Malta, was unanimously approved by the Planning Authority’s Board (9-0) during a hearing held on Thursday 3 February. The project will provide the University with much needed professional sports facilities including a full-size synthetic football pitch and an eight athletics track. The project will also include Sports Performance Labs and a 100-meter indoor athletics track where research in Sports Medicine can be facilitated for the first time in Malta.
Contrary to the claims made by Perit Pizzuto, the car park plans will not re-route the existing entry for vehicles away from the campus to a Gzira residential road. From continuous studies taken up by the University, it results that a considerable percentage of cars entering the UM’s precincts hail from the northern and central part of the island with the largest existing counts present in the Northern Gate (Mater Dei side). There is a high probability that vehicular traffic will retain existing patterns through the University’s Main Entrance and go down to the proposed car park through the University grounds. These cars will in no way circulate residential roads in Gzira. Only those cars coming from the Sliema area will need to access the car park from the roads in the Gzira area, something which they most probably already do to enter University from the South Gate.
Traffic Noise Impact studies, conducted on behalf of the UM, revealed that the peak traffic will, in fact, be generated in the morning from the exit point in Triq Edgar Bernard, (i.e when cars will be leaving the car park), ostensibly cars belonging to the residents themselves. However, in order to mitigate this, the UM amended its proposal to include an additional exit point from the National Pool Car Park Area.
For the record, the proposed car park will have a total of 1000 car spaces, 400 of which will be for the exclusive use of residents and the general public. This car park will alleviate the significant parking problems that already exist for residents and also for supporters visiting the National Pool Complex to follow waterpolo matches and swimming competitions.
This view is fully supported by the Mayor of the Gzira Local Council, who is fully aware of the parking problems facing his locality and who also voted in favour of this project. This underground car park will provide an excellent opportunity to reduce on-street parking to the benefit of the residents in the neighbouring areas.
The statement that 1000 car spaces will be ‘added’ needs clarification. The 600 car spaces being created by this project and taken up by the University, will enable the institution to eliminate the corresponding number of parking bays from the ring road and the Wied Għollieq car park. The latter will be reinstated into a rural zone. By clearing the ring road of parked vehicles, commuting on foot on campus will become much safer than at present. Once finished, the car park will result in less cars circulating residential streets searching for vacant parking bays. This will inevitably lead to less emissions and congestions, benefitting the Gzira community.
The underground car park will in no way disincentivise staff and students from opting for alternative means of commuting to University, as parking facilities are not being increased. They are simply being re-distributed. The claim that overturning the application for the car park bears no impact on the Sports Complex itself beggars belief. With modern sports facilities, more athletes and teams will be making use of these facilities and the need for an underground car park is imperative. Otherwise, users will clog residential streets in the vicinity to park their vehicles, exacerbating an existing problem which Perit Pizzuto himself wants to avert.
This project will certainly not be encouraging the notion of car dependence. Despite the increase in students, staff and visitors to the University over the years, the UM has always maintained the car parking capacity identified in the 2006 Local Plan and has always promoted alternative modes of Green Transport.
Pierre Cassar
Director – Marketing, Communications & Alumni Office
L-Università ta’ Malta
