Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1085429
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 FEBRUARY 2019 students as being completely car-dependent because the public transport service to the area has very high patronage but it would be unrealistic to envisage a situation with no cars coming to university," Sammut said. She also took umbrage at the criticism levelled towards the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) for accepting the park- ing solution. "The KSU was unfairly tar- geted when it has been work- ing on a transport strategy to encourage people to use public transport, cycle and carpool," Sammut said. Carla Galea, president of the student council, said the or- ganisation had set up a park- and-ride facility in Pembroke in collaboration with Malta Public Transport to encourage students and staff in the area to get a direct shuttle to university and leave their cars behind. "The KSU and the university will now also be subsidising the cost of 1,000 free monthly pass- es for those who use the park- and-ride facility," Galea added. But the student council is now in discussions with Trans- port Malta to set up two more park-and-ride facilities at Ta' Qali and Marsa. "We have a car park next to the quadrangle that is specifi- cally reserved for those who carpool and we have allocated six spots for the shared electric car service GoTo," Galea said. The KSU-administered park- ing fund also subsidises the purchase of bicycles, e-bikes, motorcycles and electric vehi- cles, she added. And the KSU will shortly be announcing a new app with maps outlining safe cycle routes from different towns across Malta to the university. "Given that parking spots were lost because of the con- struction work going on in the large car park, we asked for a temporary solution but it is not as if the KSU has done nothing to reduce car dependency. It is unrealistic to expect people to suddenly change their be- haviour and leave their car at home. It takes time and there will always be those who have to use their car. This is a na- tional issue and not just a uni- versity problem," Galea said. NEWS An artist's impression of how the university sports complex will look. The complex will include an underground car park that will also be used by the community Side view of the proposed complex showing the underground car park and indoors athletics track