With traffic on our roads becoming daily heavier, more critical and frustrating, no ray of light or flicker of hope can be discerned capable of controlling or containing this mass invasion of vehicular traffic that is causing a gridlock especially at peak hours.
After giving the subject a lot of thought and analysis with regard to present and future trends, which appear indicative of a gloomy state of affairs, I have reached a definite conclusion that there is just one and only one solution capable of resolving the problem.
This I must confess from the outset is not a cheap or easy remedy to push through and execute.
The solution in essence consists of a well-planned and rationally thought-out underground train network connecting and feeding the urban and highly populated areas efficiently. The network must operate to an accurate timetable particularly during rush hours, thus encouraging commuters to relegate their vehicles to the garage.
Considering the small underground distances from point to point, as the crow flies, and the generally soft nature of the ground rock the system should be far less costly per kilometre than similar projects overseas.
The execution of the project would naturally be implemented in stages or phases. Starting off initially from the hub of Valletta proceeding towards Floriana, Marsa, Hamrun and stopping at Birkirkara.
Eventually, the system would branch out to reach Qormi, the three villages, Naxxar and Gharghur even as far as St Paul’s Bay and the Cirkewwa ferry terminal.
What is of vital importance and deserving of the deepest study will be the location, design and sizes of the various stop and change stations, which should include adequate shopping services to meet the immediate needs of commuters in a hurry to and from work.
Entrances and exits should be located as far as possible away from trafficked points thus according a smooth flow to pedestrians crossing the street.
Another highly important consideration that comes to mind is the necessity to keep charges as low as possible – even at the cost of having to be subsidized via public funds. This ultimately should prove a good and worthwhile investment to resolve and end the endemic problem permanently.
At the end of the day, there also emerges a truly beneficial side-effect in the sense that it would provide so many additional permanent jobs of which Malta is much in need at the moment.
Where the route crosses unbuilt areas, the trains would obviously emerge and run in the open, thus resulting in great cost savings and more enjoyable for passengers. The sum total of such an arrangement should be that the rail system would in reality be only partially underground thus also offering the added attraction of delightful and relaxing panoramic views especially to tourists during their ever-popular peregrinations. To mention just one instance, this could be possible and practicable from Fleur de Lys all the way up to Rabat and Mdina.
This project, if thoughtfully combined with that of a great coast road bypass I proposed in a previous letter to the press, would virtually promote most of Malta as the only car-free place in peak hours in the EU.
It should also be of great help to achieve the above objective if adequate bicycle parking facilities are provided next or near to major stations.
Could the authorities concentrate local and imported technical know-how on the drawing board and on a study of the balance sheets to be able to start digging as soon as possible?
Luckily, by the time the initial phase becomes operational, Malta should have ample electricity supplies from Sicily through the proposed underwater cable, coupled with the production from the Marsaxlokk power station and renewable sources spreading throughout the islands.
Another positive point that comes to mind is the considerable advantage of utilizing the huge volumes of excavated rock as land-fill extensions for building development on strategically located sites along the shoreline to the benefit of the island’s ever-present need for additional development land.
Furthermore, the gigantic project should create a veritable construction boom for contractors, civil engineers and architects.
Incidentally, we happen to be highly fortunate that Malta possesses an abundance of sufficiently trained professionals in the civil, mechanical and engineering fields capable of lending a formidable hand to foreign specialists who will naturally have to be engaged to design and supervise such a highly specialized and intricate project.
With a lot of thought – and perhaps even more luck – the tunnels could be designed and set out to cut through most geological formations of blue clay and Globigerina limestone thereby bypassing the infinitely harder upper and lower coralline stratifications.
Tourism-wise, the underground system should also benefit our valued foreign visitors as they would be in a better position to stroll around with more leisure and safety where previously vehicle traffic made such foot excursions rather difficult not to say sometimes even risky.
Ultimately, keeping in mind that the EU generally offers a generous helping hand for beneficial national transport projects, there appears to be no reason why we should not qualify to receive handsome assistance for relieving the heavy national burden necessary for its execution.
Edwin Calleja
BALZAN