Central Link Project would improve air quality - EIA

An Environmental Impact Assessment into a contested large-scale road project between Ta’ Qali and Attard has found that the plans would lead to improved air quality in the area, Infrastructure Malta said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Infrastructure Malta said that an EIA – which has yet to be published – had also found that the route would end up in complete gridlock within 10 years if it remained as it is, without being upgraded.

Authorities’ plans for the route, dubbed the Central Link Project, have run into staunch opposition from residents and environmental lobbies, who say procedures have been short-circuited to push through a project of dubious benefit.

Read: Three-quarters support Central Link project, minister says

Infrastructure Malta, on the other hand, says the €55 million project will halve travel times through the congested area, improve air quality and add facilities for alternative means of transport.

They say the new road would follow the same route as the four-lane bypass planned in 2006, but would use less than half the land originally earmarked for its development.

In a statement on Wednesday, Infrastructure Malta said it had submitted the...