Moviment Graffitti is strongly opposed to the proposed construction of a new two-lane road linking Żabbar to Smart City, which threatens to inflict irreversible damage on Malta’s rural and cultural heritage under the guise of solving a non-existent traffic problem.

The public can object to this proposal by sending an email to representations@pa.org.mt, by Friday 13 June, quoting the application number PA/07004/23 in the subject line.

Despite revisions to the original plan, the project will still destroy 5,686 square meters of agricultural land — half of which remains productive — disrupting local ecosystems and further eroding our already shrinking green spaces and agriculture.

The road will also lead to the removal of 30 mature trees and shrubs, to be replaced, in theory, with 40 new indigenous species. But this kind of ‘greenwashing’ ignores the decades it takes for ecosystems to mature. Biodiversity isn’t restored with saplings — and in the meantime, local habitats and climate resilience are further degraded.

Moreover, this road will pass through and disturb an area rich in history and protected heritage. The project’s route threatens the context of Notre Dame Gate, the Cottonera bastions, the Capuchin Convent, and the surrounding scheduled structures — some of which are Grade I-listed and located in Areas of High Landscape and Ecological Importance.

Transport Malta claims this €8 million road is necessary to relieve traffic congestion. Yet the facts tell a different story. Traffic toward Smart City does not warrant this intervention. Existing roads already provide adequate access without destroying farmland or encroaching on historic sites. The government’s justification — that it is contractually obliged to build this road as part of the Smart City agreement — is a failure of leadership. Outdated contracts must not be allowed to dictate harmful developments that go against today’s environmental realities and national interest. We urgently call on the authorities to reconsider and renegotiate — rather than bulldoze ahead with a project that sacrifices our environment and heritage to serve the speculative interests of a wealthy few.

The addition of a cycling and pedestrian lane cannot disguise the project’s fundamental flaw: this road is not needed. Instead of spending €8 million on a damaging bypass, the government should invest in forward-thinking mobility: expanded public transport, safe cycling routes using existing roads, and incentives that reduce car dependency.

The proposed Żabbar–Smart City road is a textbook example of outdated thinking disguised as progress. It sacrifices farmland, heritage, and the environment to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. Moviment Graffitti calls on the authorities to urgently rethink these plans, realign them with the nation’s present-day priorities, and put the real needs of the people first.

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Viżjoni Mtappna bl-Asfalt: Il-proġett tat-triq il-ġdida bejn Ħaż-Żabbar u Smart City huwa inutli u distruttiv

Il-Moviment Graffitti jopponi l-bini propost ta’ triq ġdida li se tkun qed tgħaqqad lil Ħaż-Żabbar direttament ma’ Smart City. Din it-triq se twassal fi ħsara irriversibbli għar-raba’ eżistenti u għall-wirt storiku tal-inħawi bl-iskuża li ssolvi problema tat-traffiku ineżistenti.

Il-pubbliku jista’ joġġezzjona għal din l-applikazzjoni billi jibgħat email lil representations@pa.org.mt, sa nhar il-Ġimgħa 13 ta’ Ġunju, u jniżżel in-numru tal-applikazzjoni PA/07004/23 fis-suġġett al-email.

Minkejja li l-pjan oriġinali ġie rivedut, it-triq xorta se teqred 5,686 metru kwadru ta’ art agrikola — li nofsha għadha tinħadem — li jfisser ħerba tal-ekosistema lokali u aktar tnaqqir tal-ispazji ħodor u agrikoli tagħna.

It-triq se twassal ukoll għat-tneħħija ta’ 30 siġra u arbuxelli maturi, li qed jingħad li se jiġu sostitwiti b’40 speċi indiġena ġodda. Dawn il-metodi, iżda, urewna fil-passat li ma jaħdmux: l-ekosistemi jieħdu għexieren ta’ snin biex jirkupraw. Il-bijodiversità ma tistax tiġi rrestawrata billi jinżergħu siġar ġodda. Il-qerda ta’ siġar maturi tħalli effett devastanti fuq il-ħabitats lokali u r-reżiljenza klimatika.

Barra minn hekk, din it-triq se tgħaddi minn qalb żona rikka fl-istorja u l-wirt storiku protett. Ir-rotta tal-proġett hija ta’ theddida għall-integrità storika ta’ Bieb is-Sultan, is-swar tal-Kottonera, u l-Kunvent tal-Kapuċċini u l-istrutturi skedati tal-madwar — li wħud minnhom igawdu protezzjoni ta’ Grad I u jinsabu f’Żoni ta’ Importanza Għolja tal-Pajsaġġ u Ekoloġika.

Transport Malta qed issostni li din it-triq ta’ €8 miljuni hija meħtieġa biex tittaffa l-konġestjoni tat-traffiku. Madankollu, il-fatti juru storja differenti. M’hemm l-ebda konġestjoni ta’ traffiku li tiġġustifika dan l-intervent. It-toroq eżistenti diġà jipprovdu aċċess adegwat mingħajr ma jeqirdu l-art agrikola jew il-kuntest storiku tal-inħawi. Il-ġustifikazzjoni tal-Gvern — jiġifieri li huwa obbligat b’kuntratt li jibni din it-triq bħala parti mill-ftehim ta’ Smart City — tixhed falliment fil-kapaċità tal-Gvern li jirrispondi għall-bżonnijiet attwali tal-pajjiż. Kuntratti li jirriflettu l-passat m’għandhomx jitħallew jiddettaw żviluppi ta’ ħsara li jmorru kontra r-realtajiet ambjentali u l-interessi nazzjonali tal-lum il-ġurnata. Aħna nappellaw b’mod urġenti lill-awtoritajiet biex jikkunsidraw dan il-proġett mill-ġdid, u mhux ikomplu jissagrifikaw l-ambjent u l-wirt tagħna biex jaqdu l-interessi spekulattivi ta’ ftit sinjuruni.

Iż-żieda ta’ karreġġjata tar-roti u oħra pedonali xorta ma tiġġustifikax in-nuqqas fundamentali tal-proġett: jiġifieri, li din it-triq mhix meħtieġa. Minflok ma jonfoq €8 miljuni fuq bypass bla bżonn li se teqred ir-raba’, il-Gvern għandu jinvesti f’mobbiltà b’viżjoni li tħares lejn il-futur: trasport pubbliku li jiffunzjona, rotot sikuri taċ-ċikliżmu, u inċentivi li jnaqqsu d-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi.

It-triq proposta minn Ħaż-Żabbar għal Smart City hija eżempju ta’ faqar fil-ħsieb u l-ippjanar li qed jiġi ppreżentat bħala “progress”. It-triq se teqred art agrikola li għadha tinħadem, l-integrità tal-wirt storiku u l-ambjent biex issolvi problema li ma teżistix. Il-Moviment Graffitti qed isejjaħ lill-awtoritajiet biex iwaqqfu dan il-proġett, jallinjaw il-viżjoni tagħhom mal-ħtiġijiet nazzjonali tal-lum, u jpoġġu l-ħtiġijiet reali tan-nies fuq quddiem.