Linking sustainable transport with urban regeneration case study : Valletta

Abstract

The fulcrum of any aspect concerning Valletta must be regarded in the light of the national conservationist attitude towards the City as the cultural identity of the Maltese citizens. Concurrently with transport issues, degenerating trends dating back to almost a century were not addressed and left to amplify through time. In response, individuals moulded the performance of the City to suit their needs. Conceptually personalisation is beneficial unless other sectors are adversely affected. Planners concentrated on providing incentives to further expand such trends by implementing car oriented measures aiming solely in accommodating traffic flows while severely limiting accessibility. Various attempts to emancipate the regeneration of Valletta through transport related measures have been brought forward and discussed, however such strategies were left on the drawing board boosting a sense of reluctancy towards any developments. Hence, the proposals advanced within this dissertation evolved from the concept that while proposing measures which balance competing demands in order to be fully perceived within the individual scale as fulfilling their needs, a collective shift towards 'sustainable' paths is integrated on a national scale. A compact mixed use redevelopment targeted to attract potential residents, high levels of transient population and investors to revitalise the overall environment while sustaining the provision of alternative modes of public transport is prioritised. The private car is proposed to be exploited to suit the inherent inclination to accommodate pedestrians within a City best understood on foot.