Valletta residents demand action as pavement obstructions persist despite years of complaints

Valletta residents have once again called on the authorities to remove obstructions from public pavements in the capital, complaining that years of reports and enforcement notices have failed to translate into effective action.

The latest complaint concerns Castille Place, where photographs sent to the authorities show public pedestrian areas obstructed by objects, including planters, with some also allegedly placed in the road.

Residents have written to the Valletta Local Council, the Police, Transport Malta and other authorities demanding immediate action, arguing that the situation poses road safety and accessibility problems, particularly for people with disabilities.

They insist the case should be treated as a safety issue requiring the removal of unauthorised obstructions rather than being left to lengthy planning procedures.

The residents cited a 2023 Planning Authority communication stating that such removals are enforced through cooperation between the local council, the Valletta Police, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Lands Authority. They are also invoking safety-removal provisions and rules under the Outdoor Catering Areas policy requiring pedestrian access to remain unobstructed.

The latest complaint follows years of similar problems across Valletta, where pavements and public spaces have increasingly been taken over by tables, chairs, planters and other structures, often amid little visible enforcement.

The Shift has repeatedly reported on the problem.

An analysis in 2023 found more than 160 planning applications in Valletta over a decade involving chairs, while numerous establishments faced enforcement or sanctioning procedures.

The problem remains unresolved.

Earlier this year, residents welcomed what they described as a rare Planning Authority refusal of an outdoor seating permit in Republic Street, while complaining that physical enforcement remained largely absent.

In their latest complaint, residents are also putting individual Valletta councillors on notice, demanding they raise the issue formally at council level.

“Residents are entitled to know which of their elected representatives acted on this and which did not,” they said, adding that they intend to keep a record of the responses received.