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This week saw the first physical step being taken toward the setting up of a new Vehicle Management System at the Valletta Waterfront project, following months of raging controversy between VISET and White Taxi Licensed Amalgamated, which represents three quarters of Malta’s independent taxis.
An initiative spearheaded by the recently set up Malta Cruise Network provided a forum for the Police, White Taxi Licensed Amalgamated, the Malta Transport Authority and VISET’s Safety & Security Department to sit down together and work towards eliminating the congestion and organisational problems facing the area. The process began a month ago and the entailed drawing up of a framework within which all parties looked at the issues.
After identifying common problems and through a number of meetings, a system was developed which involved restructuring the arrival, parking and booking system of the taxis.
In spite of poor weather conditions, the trial went ahead with the taxis parking bumper to bumper in a double line down from Pinto 5 Gate at the bottom of Crucifix Hill. This enabled the taxis to be self regulating in the order in which they picked up cruise line passengers. As a result of which the police redirected their activities towards the next task of maintaining order within the area as a whole.
“We chose a day when the terminal would be moderately busy and we had two good sized cruise liners in,” explains VISET Safety & Security Manager Josef Cuschieri. “And now look forward to, with a few changes, implementing the exercise.”
The Trial Day is the first in a series of steps aimed at structuring the organisation of vehicles in the Pinto Wharf area.
“This is crucial as it is the first physical and interactive impression that visitors from the cruise ships have of Malta,” said Ben Stuart of the Malta Cruise Network. “We can only create a positive move if we work together and uphold our individual responsibilities.”
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