One of the main issues hitting the headlines at the moment is that of the proposed public transport reform.

It seems that the die has been cast and we have come to the predictable stage of negotiating with the outgoing monopoly. This is said without sarcasm. It is inevitable in the dismantling of every monopoly in the name of reform. It is time for both sides to sit down and iron out the details of the contracts of those who will continue in the bus service.

Of course, we will see haggling over pensioning off, the value of buses and the conditions and guarantees of those who will stay on – part and parcel of reform.

We are sure that neither the government, nor the Public Transport Association will be completely satisfied with the final deal – but a deal will nevertheless be reached at some point in the future.

However, to call this a transport reform is not correct. This is merely reforming one sector of transport – route buses. This all has to fit in with transport reform in its wider context. The government has already spoken of ideas for the future, such as a tramline, water taxis and more electric cabs. But it all runs so much deeper – and it does not end with buses, trams, trains and taxis. It involves each and every vehicle which we use to commute from one place to another.

Let us start with route payment transport. While we have spoken about the introduction of one tramline in Malta, we really need to think bigger – and yet smaller. Why are we thinking about introducing a mega tram when we are neglecting places such as Valletta, Sliema and even St Julian’s? A good majority of cities (even in the old towns) have a functioning micro tram network. Would it really be so hard to have lines put on the Sliema front and round the periphery of Valletta? Two carriages and the overhead infrastructure: that is all it would take.

We also need to again push the idea of bicycle use. There was a halfhearted attempt to do so when the park and ride facility in Floriana opened up, but it never really took off. Pie in the sky, maybe, but here’s an idea: close the Floriana main street off to traffic, link St Anne’s Street by tram to the one that could circumnavigate Valletta. Bob’s your uncle, a car-free Valletta-Floriana and a very excuse to make people cycle in. Will it work? Of course not. We are far too lazy. Before we even think about wide-scale transport reform, we must first reform our outlook.

We must be the most car-reliant and lazy people around. People will hop into the car to post a letter and to go to the local shop, let alone to get to work. The only way we are going to change that is not by making public transport easier to use, but by making personal transport ‘harder’. We must continue to create pedestrian zones and if need be, make it really difficult for private vehicles to go to places such as Valletta and Sliema. Tolls and fees are not the way. People will still pay them and looking at this conundrum with an eye on moneymaking will not help.

Of course, the eternal dream is an underground connection linked to surface tram and bus termini (with transferable tickets). But will we ever get it? Of course not. This is Malta, and in Malta we do not do anything that is tried, tested and a proven success.