Despite various public appeals, the controversial Central Link Project, which aims to alleviate traffic congestion around Attard, was given the green light yesterday. This means that a total of 549 trees will be facing the axe at Saqqajja, while various buildings, some historical, will be replaced.

Geographer Raffaella Zammit is among those who have a problem with the project. “The fundamental problem with this proposed development is that rather than targeting the real sources of traffic generation (individual car use and ownership), the authorities are targeting mature trees and agricultural land,” she begins.

Raffaella questions the authorities’ logic, referring to the idea of more space being needed to ease the traffic problem on our islands. “This 'solution' has been discredited the world over. The solutions are there and have been advocated by many lobby groups and experts in the field, namely facilitating walking, cycling, public transport and shared car usage.”

She also touches on what this means for local farmers who depend on land to grow their crops, as well as to earn a living. “The loss of agricultural land and the livelihood of farmers is also extremely problematic, especially when put in the context of the stresses Maltese farmers face including water shortages, land degradation and market forces. Rather than respecting their daily toil, the authorities will destroy their land on which their livelihoods depends. Furthermore, this loss of agricultural land including rubble walls will impact species found in these habitats.”

A major sore point of the project is the uprooting of over 500 trees at Saqqajja. Raffaella doubts whether the replanting proposal will actually work. “Regarding the removal of trees, out of 388 protected mature trees, 272 will be lost, and 116 will be transplanted (the fate of which is doubtful). There will also be other trees that have become an integral part of the landscape that will be lost.” Bottom line, she says, “the loss of habitat as well as mature trees do not justify the proposal.”

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