Cyclist? Pedestrian? Do you live in H’Attard?

I want to hear from you… especially if you live in H’Attard, since I am planning some local initiatives.

I want to hear from all those who use a bicycle whether it’s for leisure or for commuting. I want to hear from you on how to improve conditions on our local roads, educate and inform residents about safety and help create better conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.

I would also like to hear if you would be interested in a mass cycling event in H’Attard. Or maybe you’re interested in joining a sub-committee on local mobility issues. If you are interested please contact me by email on cassarralph@gmail.com.

Ralph Cassar
Local Councillor, H’Attard

P.S. You might be interested in a report about mobility issues I authored with a colleague of mine recently. Follow this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alternattiva/message/7873

Ta’ Qali action plan – my submission to MEPA

The Director of Planning

(2012 Revisions to the Ta’ Qali Action Plan)

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority

taqalirevisions2012@mepa.org.mt

Comments about the Ta’ Qali Action Plan revision

Ralph Cassar, local councillor (AD), H’Attard

General

Open spaces should remain open. Planting and afforestation should be restricted to the use of indigeneous and locally grown species. Noise and light pollution are issues which need to be addressed.

Convention and Exhibition facilities

The document makes reference to energy saving features for the convention and exhibition buildings proposed. The document should also make reference to light and noise pollution. Noise from the MFCC reaches Attard’s residential areas and its environs, with the noise being particularly of a nuisance late at night and early morning – midnight till 4am. A probable cause is sound systems which are not installed and designed professionally with towers of speakers projecting sound over too long a distance. Conditions on levels of sound should be imposed. Outdoor activities after midnight should be limited and even here sound limits should be imposed. Technological solutions exist. Sound barriers and other options such as heavy planting should be a condition for the buildings and outside areas. Embellishment around the facilities should use indigeneous and locally grown trees and shrubs.

Motor sports

The control of noise is also an issue here. Sound barriers should be a condition, together with heavy planting all around the complex.

Access to Ta’ Qali

Access to Ta’ Qali by private vehicles should be through the main arterial roads, access through residential areas such as Attard should be discouraged.

Mass transport of spectators and partons to mass events should be encouraged. As such the provision of parking should be restricted, with facilities available for easy access to the stadium and other facilities by large public transport veichles – minibuses, coaches and buses – and the provision of adequate, sheltered and comfortable areas for commuters.

Safe bicycle and pedestrian routes from nearby Attard, as well as safe cycle routes from Rabat and Mosta should be actively considered. Cycle parking facilites – preferably sheltered should be provided.

All new roads should have space for trees and shrubs on their sides.

Complaints related to Construction

Complaints related to construction fall within the remit of Construction Site Management Regulations and fall within the remit of the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs (MRRA)

Contact numbers for complaints: 
22997608 (During office hours) and 79074334 (After office hours)

Vetturi kummerċjali fit-toroq

Vetturi kummerċjali - 'heavy vehicles' - għal raġunijiet ta' sigurta u anke għax it-triq mhux dominju ta' kumpanija privata li tikkapparra l-ispazju pubbliku minflok tinvesti f'faċilitajiet għall-attivita kummerċjali tagħha.

L-Avviż Legali 50 tal-1979 jipprojbixxi l-ipparkjar ta' vetturi kummerċjali fit-triq. Hawn qed nirriproduċi l-parti relevanti bl-Ingliż:

Legal Notice 50 of 1979 Motor Tractor Regulations (as subsequently amended between 1979 and 2003) stipulates that: “No person shall stop, whether temporarily or otherwise, and leave unattended, or shall park any motor tractor and/or trailer or any heavy commercial vehicle or other commercial vehicle loaded with a container or leave a container in any road, yard, area or open space whether enclosed or otherwise other than in an authorized parking place or at an authorized container storage depot.”

F'Triq is-Sedqa f'Ħ'Attard dar-regolament jinkiser ta' kuljum. Infurmat li l-Pulizija avżata. 

Nixtieq iżda niċċara punt. L-imħażen fi Triq is-Sedqa u anke Triq il-Pitkali għandhom il-permess joperaw, iġifieri jistgħu jidħlu vetturi tqal f'dawn it-toroq biex jaċċessaw dawn l-imħażen. Mhux se noqgħod indur mal-lewża għax dawn huma l-fatti. Fatti li ma jogħġbunix imma xorta jibqgħu fatti. Jien kont wieħed mill-ftit li opponejt li jingħataw permessi għal imħażen (wara li inbnew taparsi garaxxijiet 'normali' li mbagħad sar bdil fl-użu tagħhom). Ftit sibt appoġġ mir-residenti dak iż-żmien ħlief minn koppja anzjani li kienu l-unika nies li kellhom il-kuraġġ joħorġu għonqhom. 

L-oġġezzjonijiet tiegħi saru fl-01/11/1995 u fl-20/03/1996 dwar 'change of use of garage' (PA 0260/96) u 'cold storage facilities' (PA 3710/95). Il-froġa saret xorta. Il-membri parlamentari speċjalment fuq in-naħa tal-vern dak iż-żmien ma qalu xejn fuq il-bidla minn garaxxijiet għal imħażen. 

Jien għandi l-kuxjenza f'postha.

Darb'oħra: 

• Il-proposti li ressaqt għall-pjan ta' 3 snin tal-Kunsill Lokali ta' Ħ'Attard
• Għaliex il-bżonn ta' 'contract manager'?
• Pjan ta' mobilita sostenibbli

Nota:

Dan il-blog jikkumplimenta l-blog l-ieħor tiegħi http://ralphcassar.wordpress.com iżda jiffoka l-aktar fuq ħidmieti bħala Kunsillier f'Ħ'Attard.