A new community parking project is launched near Għadira Bay

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg and Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli launched a new project in the Għadira Bay area. The project will be carried out with an investment of more than €800,000 from the Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection’s eco-contribution scheme, and works will be implemented by Projects Plus Ltd. The first phase of the project, launched today, is a new parking facility for the area.

Minister Ian Borg said, “Community projects do not only include squares, gardens, and facilities in the cores of our towns and villages. Here we have a project that will create new facilities and embellish a part of our natural heritage for a wider community – the national community. Thanks to this parking facility we will reduce congestion in the area as people will spend less time trying to find a space for their vehicles, while also reducing issues of double and triple parking. As with other projects of this kind, we are seeing to the inclusion of facilities for electric cars and motorcycles, because the Government’s vision is inclined towards smaller and more sustainable means of transport. The rest of the project will then continue embellishing this very popular zone in our country.”

Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli said that this project will improve our touristic product, while drastically increasing parking spaces in a place that is very popular with Maltese and Gozitan people as well as tourists. This investment of over €800,000 comes from the tourism industry and will tangibly return to the same industry thanks to the Tourism Ministry’s eco-contribution scheme.

Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection Mr Ronald Mizzi referred to the obligation brought into force by the Government years ago which requires every tourist to contribute 50 cents for every night spent in our country, money which goes to this fund with the aim fo being re-invested in the touristic product. He added that he would like more awareness about this so that the tourism industry can continue appreciating the aim and idea behind this fund.

The parking area will be built out of a dilapidated site and will accommodate more than 300 vehicles. Works are expected to commence in the coming days and include cleaning of the site, work on rubble walls, a stormwater drainage system that separates water from oil, and new lighting, among other works. The rest of the project will extend the sand by around 20 metres and to this end Projects Plus has already commissioned a number of environmental and geological studies. The promenade will be embellished and modernised as well.