The importance for adequate communication is paramount to a potentially thriving community. For this reason cities have been built near natural ports or along rivers. As cities grew, internal communication evolved.

The most frequented cities in Europe, namely London and Paris, have today more than 250 metro stations in an area of circa 50 square miles. Modern urbanised communities rely on railway systems for effective mobility and quality of life. Malta has no rail network and our roads are a jungle.

We need to seriously explore the development of, say, a 30-stop rail network that will absorb significant human and commercial load from our tormented roads.

The smallest train network in the world is made up of four stations.

A railway system in Malta may be funded through financial instruments that will not put pressure on government deficit and debt elements within the Maastricht criteria.

In the meantime, may we attach some kind of time-table to all our bus stops suggesting to commuters the intended schedule that could possibly serve that particular stop?

This may perhaps lessen the frustration of visitors who desperately and often uselessly wave at packed buses motoring past them (especially between 9am and 10am), at least down Xemxija hill.

Dunstan Attard

Xemxija