Transport Minister Joe Mizzi has launched the National Transport Strategy 2050 and the Transport Master Plan 2025 this evening, while he was attending a 'Gvern li Jisma' meeting in Castille.

He mentioned that this is the first time such a serious plan has been created.

"Both the strategy and the master plan will be open for public consultation and one can visit the Transport Malta website for more information".

The strategy identifies a number of projects that need to be conducted, including infrastructure that promotes cycling, studies on linking Malta and Gozo as well as mass transport systems.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi spoke about the various "successes" of the transport sector throughout this administration, ongoing works in Kappara, as well as cyclist safety.

According to the Master Plan, the objectives in terms of road transport, include providing alternatives to private vehicles, reducing the impact of vehicles in urban areas, ensuring effective and efficient management of roads, improving road safety, etc. As for public transport, the Plan aims to improve physical accessibility of the Public Transport service, improve the availability and quality of unscheduled public transport for schools, etc.

He said the first year of governing was spent on analysing the situation and coming up with possible solutions to problems, in their second year, government began to move forward, with some of their plans and in the third year, results began to be seen.

He mentioned a number of projects, including the Coast Road, which the minister referred to as a challenge. "We worked nights and we concluded the project in a short time, without losing any EU funds," he said.

"We concluded the new Parliament project, the Castille square project etc," the Minister said.

"We were instrumental in reducing emissions, and also conducted works on a number of residential roads".

The minister spoke of new traffic management systems, including tidal lanes "which saw positive results".

Statistics show that we are on the right track," the minister explained.

One attendee spoke about drivers not respecting cyclists. "Does government have a plan to improve the safety of cyclists on roads?" he asked.

"I am worried about this and it is something where, although Transport Malta has taken various measures, accidents still occur," the Minister argued. He spoke about making space for cyclists on roads. "While those who drive must be careful, those who ride must also be careful".

One attendee asked for an update on the Kappara project, to which the minister said that this project has received a push the past couple of years.

"Right now, work is ongoing on roads which will be used to deviate traffic. Works of this sort cost government 3 million euros more than normal, he said. He urged motorists to observe the traffic signs.

Certain works are ongoing during periods when schools are closed, he said, in an attempt to minimise the impact on traffic.

Turning to the Bahrija works, which saw hundreds attend a recent protest, the minister said that historic artefacts were found while works were ongoing to lay drainage pipes. The minister claimed that workers were working night and day on the project, although residents had told this newsroom during the protest itself, that it was very rare to see workers in the evening. "We have all the interest in concluding this work, and these residents will finally have a working drainage system".

Turning to the traffic problem, he said that it is nothing new, adding that in 2012 there was a bigger traffic problem in which a report found a "disaster in the public transport sector". People ended up using their private cars, he said, which added to the traffic problem.

Minister Mizzi said he is conscious about the traffic congestion problem. Government has taken a number of short, medium and long term measures. He said that analysis on areas with the most traffic congestion had been conducted in order to find solutions for congestion problems in peak hours soon after Labour was elected.

Medium term measures taken thus far include strengthening sea transport for citizens, and the creation of bus lanes.,

As for long-term proposals, he spoke about major projects such as the Coast Road project, the Kappara project and said that funds have also been acquired for the Addolorata junction project.

Asked about Malta's Presidency, he said he met with the EU Transport Commissioner and a programme was established for Malta's Presidency. "You need to look at EU interest over national interest when in that position," he said. "As a country that depends on the maritime sector, we want to place a certain amount of importance on this sector during our Presidency".

"The theme for transport during our Presidency will be maritime related," he said, adding that the Commissioner wants a high-level conference between all EU transport ministers as well as others from the UN etc, to discuss the maritime sector as well as maritime security, to occur in Malta.

The consultation documents can be downloaded at: http://www.transport.gov.mt/transport-strategies/strategies-policies-actions/transport-strategies-in-development/national-transport-strategy-and-master-plan