Msida Mayor: ‘I Believe Majority Of Residents Are Against Flyover’
Msida mayor Charles Selvaggi said he believes the majority of residents in his town are against Infrastructure Malta’s plan to build a flyover in his town.
“From the feedback I received from Msida residents when carrying out house visits, the majority said they would rather the flyover isn’t built,” Selvaggi told Lovin Malta.
“Some residents chose to keep their opinions confidential, some were in favour of the project but most were against it. Many were concerned that it will uglify the area, that the piazza will be closed off, and that it will create traffic bottlenecks elsewhere.”
Lovin Malta spoke to Selvaggi after the new PN council’s stance against the flyover triggered a political dispute.
The PL’s Msida councillors have questioned why the PN councillors are opposing the flyover when they had supported the project in the previous legislature, under a PL council.
Council minutes from the previous legislature show that the councillors had unanimously agreed to inform Infrastructure Malta that the council was in favour of the project.
However, Selvaggi and the other PN councillors expressed concern over the flyover, particularly flagging concerns of a traffic bottleneck at the Msida Skatepark. A paragraph was therefore added to the council’s letter to Infrastructure Malta to reflect these concerns.
Selvaggi said he has always agreed, and still does, with the majority of the Msida Creek project, which also includes new open and pedestrianised spaces, a new playground and toilets, parking, bike lanes, and a rainwater catchment system to try and counter the notorious floods in the area.
However, he said he is specifically against the flyover plans and suggested that the project can be altered to exclude it.
“I am here to represent the residents of Msida, my focus is on making life better for them, and I believe the same applies for all the other councillors,” he said.
“If we have different opinions, then I respect their right to them, but from what I have heard on the ground, the majority of residents seem to be against the flyover.”
“The project is yet to begin, and we are inviting Infrastructure Malta and the authorities to consider other options instead of the flyover. It is now up to the government to decide whether it wants to listen to the residents or not.”
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