Last week, Infrastructure Malta presented the revamped plans for the Msida Creek Flyovers, illustrated with mature trees but with gaping deficiencies when it comes to the prioritisation of public and active (e.g. walking, cycling) modes of transport, according to 11 environmental organisations.

While the new plans present an aesthetic improvement, organisations and experts in the field are frustrated to note how this multi-million major infrastructural project is yet again failing to cater for the social and functional character of Msida, beyond being a junction for car traffic. Msida Creek is first and foremost the social and cultural centre of the town of Msida, but also an important pedestrian intersection for the local community, members of the educational institutions in the vicinity, and users of the public transport network.

Specifically, the current proposal: 

• lacks safe and efficient connections for anyone not inside a car between Msida and the University and the skate park, as well as between Msida and Birkirkara – a densely populated locality and the most popular commute destination,

• lacks dedicated bus lanes,

• lumps pedestrians and cyclists together in what will undoubtedly be congested paths, and has a complete absence of specially designated bike lanes.

We make reference to the specific demands collated by Rota, which can be accessed here: https://www.rota.mt/msida-creek/

We also note how, according to the renders, the fishing community of Msida will be relocated into the narrow canals. Apart from our general scepticism towards the upkeep of these canals, this move seemingly gives way to an extension of the yacht marina into the heart of Msida, yet again sending the message that big business is given priority over community texture. The same can be said about the nature of infrastructural project planning, where public consultation often takes the form of a box-ticking exercise, rather than an attempt to create a space that caters for community needs.

The model Infrastructure Malta is pushing has been shown to fail very quickly, as Marsa and Central Link remain congested areas of heavy traffic and road fatalities. Projects such as these continue to undermine our physical and environmental health, and should not be the sink of national spending, unmatched by the poor political will and financial investment towards promoting public and active commuting.

We welcome the fact that Infrastructure Malta had been willing to revise the original plans to incorporate some of the public’s concerns, such as an aesthetic improvement over the first plans and the relocation of a pedestrian area in front of the church, and therefore expect that they will again consider further improvements to give the area the long-term vision it deserves.

This press statement is endorsed by Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, The Archaeological Society Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Nature Trust – FEE Malta, BirdLife Malta, Rota, Extinction Rebellion Malta, ACT and Ramblers Malta.

Il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, Infrastructure Malta żvelat il-pjanijiet ġodda għal flyovers fl-Imsida b’illustrazzjonijiet ta’ siġar maturi imma b’nuqqasijiet kbar fejn tidħol il-prijoritizzazzjoni ta’ mezzi ta’ trasport pubbliku u attiv (nies bil-pass, ċiklisti, u oħrajn).

Filwaqt li l-pjanijiet il-ġodda jistgħu jitqiesu estetikament aħjar mill-pjanti oriġinali, organizzazzjonijiet u esperti fil-qasam jinnotaw kif dan il-proġett infrastrutturali kbir ta’ bosta miljuni għal darb’oħra qed jonqos milli jaqdi l-karattru soċjali u funzjonali tal-Imsida, lil hinn minn junction għat-traffiku tal-karozzi. L-Imsida Creek hija l-ewwel u qabel kollox iċ-ċentru soċjali u kulturali tal-belt tal-Imsida, iżda wkoll intersezzjoni pedonali importanti għall-komunità lokali, membri tal-istituzzjonijiet edukattivi li hemm viċin, u nies li jużaw it-trasport pubbliku.

L-organizzazzjonijiet jinnotaw b’dispjaċir li 

• Ma hemm l-ebda rotot sikuri għal min mhux bil-karozza bejn l-Imsida u l-Università u l-iskate park, kif ukoll bejn l-Imsida u Birkirkara, wieħed mill-iktar postijiet popolati f’Malta

• ma hemm l-ebda indikazzjoni ta’ korsiji esklussivi għall-karozzi tal-linja

• hemm nuqqas totali ta’ infrastruttura speċifikament għaċ-ċiklisti, li bil-pjanti preżenti jridu jaqsmu l-aċċess man-nies bil-pass f’żona magħrufa għad-densita’ kbira ta’ nies jimxu.

Nagħmlu referenza għat-talbiet speċifiċi li tpoġġew mill-organizzazzjoni Rota li jinstabu hawn: https://www.rota.mt/msida-creek/

Dawn il-pjanijiet ma jagħrfux il-fatt li l-bajja tal-Imsida hija, l-ewwel u qabel kollox, iċ-ċentru soċali u kulturali tal-lokalità, kif ukoll żona importanti għal nies li qed jimxu bejn istituzzjonijiet edukattivi, nies li jużaw it-trasport pubbliku, u għall-membri tal-komunita’ tal-inħawi. Għalhekk aħna frustrati li dan il-proġett jibqa’ jqis din iż-żona, kważi esklussivament, bħala intersezzjoni għall-karozzi.

Barra minn hekk, ninnutaw ukoll kif, skont il-pjanijiet il-ġodda, il-komunita’ tas-sajjieda li jużaw il-bajja tal-Imsida se tiġi rilokata f’kanali dojoq. Apparti x-xettiċiżmu li għandna lejn il-manutenzjoni ta’ dawn il-kanali, jidher li dan qed isir sabiex jingħata spazju għal estensjoni tal-yacht marina fil-qalba tal-Imsida. Dan jagħti l-messaġġ li n-negozju l-kbir qed jibqa’ jingħata prijorita’ fuq il-komunita’. L-istess jista’ jingħad dwar l-ippjanar ta’ proġetti infrastrutturali, fejn il-konsultazzjoni pubblika ħafna drabi tieħu l-forma ta’ eżerċizzju ta’ box-ticking iktar milli tentattiv biex jinħoloq spazju li jaħseb għall-bżonnijiet tal-komunità.

Il-mudell li qed timbotta Infrastructure Malta intwera li jfalli malajr ħafna, hekk kif il-Marsa u Central Link jibqgħu żoni konġestjonati ta’ traffiku qawwi u mwiet fit-toroq. Proġetti bħal dawn ikomplu jdgħajfu s-saħħa fiżika u ambjentali tagħna, u m’għandhomx ikunu l-qofol tal-infiq nazzjonali, meta fl-istess waqt hemm nuqqas ta’ rieda politika u nuqqas ta’ investiment finanzjarju għal promozzjoni tal-ivvjaġġar pubbliku u attiv.

Aħna nilqgħu l-fatt li Infrastructure Malta irrivedew il-pjanijiet oriġinali u inkorporaw uħud mill-ilmenti tal-pubbliku, bħar-rilokazzjoni taż-żona pedonali għal quddiem il-knisja u titjib fl-estetika tal-proġett. Għalhekk nistennew li jerġgħu jikkunsidraw is-suġġerimenti tagħna u tal-esperti sabiex din iż-żona tingħata il-viżjoni fit-tul li jistħoqqilha.

Din l-istqarrija għall-istampa hija approvata mill-Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, The Archaeological Society Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Nature Trust – FEE Malta, BirdLife Malta, Rota, Extinction Rebellion Malta, ACT u Ramblers Malta.