Labour’s economic boom took infrastructure by surprise. Only five years ago the concerns of the Maltese were finding a job, the future of their kids and inflation. Now that these matters have been taken care of, traffic has risen up the ladder. A number of opinion surveys have highlighted how pressing this issue has become. Today, we have 25,000 more people on the roads, leaving their homes and going out to work, than we did in 2012; most of them use their own car. We also have 600,000 more tourists than we had in 2012.
From a question I tabled in Parliament it emerged that, this year alone, we have 98 new development applications for hotels, guesthouses and other forms of tourism accommodation. Malta has the highest population density among all EU countries and the second highest number of motor vehicles per capita. It should be obvious that we will never be completely free of traffic congestion unless there is a complete paradigm shift. We should seek to manage congestion on a cost-effective basis with the aim of reducing the burden that excessive congestion imposes on our health, our environment and the economy.
On average more than 80 percent of the Maltese use their private cars as their main means of transportation. Car use in Europe’s major cities is quite low, where on average approximately 50 percent of the people use public transport as their principal means of getting to work. Less than 10 percent of the Maltese do the same.
Despite the introduction of 40 new cars on our roads every day, the road infrastructure footprint has not changed much over the past 25 years. One of the side effects of a booming economy is the increased traffic which is estimated to be costing the economy almost €300 million each year. A fast growing economy deserves a high quality infrastructure that allows it to develop further and not restrict it. The government has an electoral mandate to implement a seven-year plan to upgrade all of Malta’s roads. The Budget for 2018 has laid out the plan by setting up a new agency tasked to build, improve and maintain the entire road network for an investment of €700 million over 7 years.
Transport Malta has embarked on a nationwide project to alleviate some major traffic bottlenecks. These works include the widening of certain roads, reducing the size of strategic roundabouts and opening up a number of junctions. Replacing traffic light and zebra pedestrian crossings from main roads with underpasses or overpasses would also help.
Lack of parking is equally concerning and a contributing factor to congestion. The increasing number of cars has exasperated the parking problem. People end up spending more time in search of a parking space and thus add to the clogging of the roads. A recent study among the university population alone, carried out by the KSU, found that students spend on average 20 minutes every day trying to find a parking spot. The recent initiative by Qormi Council to use smart technologies that indicate on-street parking availability is a commendable initiative. I believe that a better provision of parking facilities, with the involvement of private enterprise is the way forward.
These are all measures that can help reduce congestion in the short and medium term, but better infrastructure alone will not solve traffic congestion in the long run. Public transport is a pivotal element. There has been a radical improvement in the bus service since the dreaded Arriva days. The new Spanish operator has opted for an increased number of buses that are smaller in size and thus more agile around our roads. However, there is still a long way to go. Buses need to be punctual as much as possible and more frequent. A measure aimed at encouraging the younger generation to make good use of public transport is that from next year those between the age of 16 and 20 can use it free. Another Budget measure that should help reduce congestion is that, from the next academic year, Government will provide free transport for all church and private schools.
Public Transport is dependent on our road network, with little dedicated infrastructure. This means that buses are no less susceptible to congestion than any other vehicle on our roads. A long-term solution to Malta’s traffic is a mass public transport system, which can include both light railway and underground systems. We only have to look at other heavily populated metropolitan cities in the world to realise that these systems can be the answer to transport problems. Alternative methods of transport, such as sea connectivity, should complement such services.
Intelligent Transportation System devices can be used to speed traffic flows. These devices include electronic coordination of traffic lights on local streets, large variable signs informing drivers of traffic conditions ahead, one-way street patterns and Global Positioning System equipment in cars and lorries. These technologies exist now and can be effective on local streets and arteries.
The development of mobile applications to help commuters to plan their journey should be encouraged. Such applications provide instant advice on-the-move on routes, with users able to opt for multiple modes of transport, including car, walking, bus, ferries and bicycle. These can also provide additional features such as real-time traffic monitoring, giving greater freedom for commuters to choose between modes of transport.
I do not believe there is one solution that will alleviate traffic. We live a lifestyle where we are highly dependent on our cars for all we do. There needs to be a number of initiatives to reduce traffic congestion, new alternative means of transportation and a change in our attitude.
Alex Muscat is a Labour MP.