Government’s announcement that it will tackle the Attard traffic problem on the stretch of road between Mt Carmel Hospital and the Malta Financial Services Authority offices is positive news, however more information about the proposal is required, Attard Mayor Stefan Cordina told The Malta Independent.
Transport Minister Ian Borg recently said that work to upgrade and widen the stretch of road between the MFSA offices and Mount Carmel Hospital is next on the priority list for the government. “We are analysing all options being drawn up by our architects and we will be taking the necessary decisions, we will make the announcement in the coming weeks,” Mr Borg said. He added that apart from addressing traffic jam issues, road projects will be taking safety features into consideration.
This newsroom asked the mayor what he thought of the announcement. “The minister said he will consult the local councils involved. Obviously I want to know exactly what is happening. It is positive that they want to tackle the traffic situation in Attard, but how will they do it? I can’t say that the proposal is good or not without knowing exactly what they want to do and how it would affect residents.”
The mayor explained that the main traffic problems in the locality revolve around traffic coming from the Rabat and Mosta areas leading to Attard and the American Residence area where there is congestion.
The local council has taken certain measures thus far to try and reduce congestion, by making Old Railway track one way, and Triq l-Ghenba (where Scotts supermarket is located) one way in the other direction in order to help the situation near the US residence. “So much traffic is coming from the Mosta area that there aren’t many options for them to pass from. Triq Hal-Warda, in front of the primary school, closes in the morning when there is school, and the problem increases.”
He explained that there is also a bottleneck further down from the Attard Primary School on Triq L-Imdina. Another bottleneck, he said, is near the American residence.
He explained that tackling the Mt Carmel area to the MFSA is positive in the sense that traffic would quicken if the bottleneck is solved, adding that it is a problem area. “The question is, how will it be tackled?”
He mentioned that more help from government in terms of traffic mitigation proposals is welcome, as when councils make proposals to Transport Malta, they are quite costly and at that, could be turned down.
‘Ian Borg is avoiding the real issue’ – Ralph Cassar
AlternattivaDemokratika’s member on the Attard local council Ralph Cassar had however, a different view on the announcement.
“Minister Ian Borg is missing the wood for the trees. I'm sorry to say but like previous governments he is avoiding the real issue, the elephant in the room: there are too many cars on the roads and too many commutes are done using cars with only the driver in the driver's seat.”
“Widening a road here and there, building flyovers and providing more and more space for cars while continuing to ignore and push users of other means of transport off the roads by crowding them out of roads will only postpone the issue of congestion a little while longer, or shift it around to new places and new bottlenecks. As regards Attard in particular, there is a lack of long term vision and overdevelopment.”
Minister Ian Borg's talk of widening parts of the Rabat and Mdina Roads, he said, is avoiding the problem and will not solve anything. “As with previous governments they are scared stiff of speaking the uncomfortable truth: car use must be reduced to relieve congestion but also to make our urban areas cleaner and more liveable.”
Mr Cassar provided some suggestions to alleviate the problem.
His first recommendation revolves around dedicated public transport corridors. “Bus services must continue to increase, with more direct routes, and park and ride schemes which keep cars out of town centres. Road infrastructure should include dedicated bus lanes, without cars blocking the route. Most of the time buses are late and rendered unreliable because of traffic congestion. Surely a vehicle carrying 60 people should be given priority over a vehicle carrying one or two persons? A well organised Ta' Qali park and ride will go some way to help. The KunsillStudentiUniversitarjiare working on an interesting project in this regard.”
He also recommends making connector and feeder roads safer for alternatives such as bicycles and electric bicycles. “Minister Ian Borg doesn't have to reinvent the wheel - we are far behind European cities with populations double that of Malta when it comes to commutes by bicycles. Attard should be connected to the university, and MCAST through safe bicycle routes. Both are barely 20 minutes away by bicycle, but safe routes are needed. All so called bypasses should have proper segregated bicycle lanes or 'bicycle super highways' which connect to feeder and residential roads. But Ian Borg and Transport Malta do not seem to like these proposals which were also pushed by the Bicycle Advocacy Group.”
“Last month I used an electric bicycle to get from Attard to university during a demonstration ride organised by BAG, the problem is that the more direct route along the Iklin bypass is dangerous - the same can be said for the Mriehel and Marsa major roads. Providing proper infrastructure for electric bicycles and bicycles must be coupled with concrete incentives for their purchase. Electric bicycles in particular are still expensive and there is also the silly rule that they must be registered with Transport Malta. If you provide people with alternatives I am sure that they will take them up - we are no different from other European cities.”
Mr Cassar also spoke of a carrot and stick approach, arguing that trips by cars carrying only the driver should be actively disincentivised. “Here again I'm sure Ian Borg will steer clear from tackling this.”
As for the proposed road changes to Attard by Minister Borg, Cassar said: “I still have to see the details of the plans for Attard - but if it's the usual piecemeal approach based on the myth that widening roads will decrease congestion then it will not work. The Lija chopping down of trees and 'widening' had no effect. Government has loads of data - it knows where each resident of say Rabat and Attard and other localities work or study and so should know their commuting patterns. We must discuss solutions which tackle the real issue - that there are too many cars on the roads - based on data and not resort to slapdash 'solutions' which get us nowhere.”
Mr Cassar also argues that town centre roads should be pedestrianised, allowing only bicycles through, and that other town streets should be made people friendly. “Urban trees are a rarity in Malta. Streets in towns should be primarily for people.”
“Finally climate change and pollution are hardly ever mentioned: two very good reasons to seriously tackle the issue holistically. AD's proposals of a zero carbon Malta tackle these transport and energy issues without ignoring the elephant in the room.”