Alfred A. Farrugia
There is no country in the civilized world where there is no traffic congestion in and around major cities and other localities, at certain periods of the day, especially the morning and afternoon/evening rush hours.
Given the size of the island, Malta may be more appropriately compared to a major city rather than a much larger country.
The perception of traffic congestion depends on one's driving experience in various countries over short or long periods of time and years. For those who have never driven abroad in or around major cities during rush hour traffic or on other occasions for some length of time, local traffic congestion might appear out of proportion.
On Easter Monday, 40 years ago, it took me more than half an hour to cover two blocks in Catania, Sicily, because I happened to be on a main road leading to a cemetery, and the Italians pay their respect to their departed loved ones on that day.
26 years ago, I experienced traffic congestion on a daily basis for two years at the end of the Long Island Express way to get into the Queens Midtown Tunnel in Manhattan, New York. In the evenings, it was not too bad because the sessions at the United Nations finished rather late.
For a number of years, I used to avoid most of the traffic congestion in Washington, DC, 17 years ago in the morning because instead of taking Connecticut Avenue or Wisconsin Avenue, I used to take Reno Road and 34th Street to the Embassy. Connecticut Avenue, which has three lanes on each side, has a very clever and clearly marked system of switching the direction of one lane in the morning and in the evening according to the flow of traffic. But at the end of this system, the 4 lanes are reduced to 2 lanes to take the William Howard Taft Bridge, so there is always a certain amount of traffic congestion during the rush hours.
7 years ago, after paying my last respects to a close relative of mine, it took me as much time to drive round three blocks to get into the Holland Tunnel in New York in late afternoon, as it took me to drive 30 miles from Hicksville to Manhattan.
Two weeks ago, I was caught in traffic congestion at 6.30 on a Saturday morning on the Interstate 95 highway after I left Springfield, Virginia, on my way to the Richmond International Raceway, because of overnight road construction. As a result it took me more than 2 hours to cover the 96 miles, instead of the scheduled one hour and 35 minutes. 231,000 vehicles, including 14,000 tractor-trailers, travel through this very busy eastern United States corridor every day.
These are just a few examples of real and routine traffic congestion where the authorities concerned are continuously building new and wider roads, and where money does not seem to be a problem.
On the contrary in Malta, only a very small proportion of the revenue collected from vehicle taxation has been invested in road construction and improvements over the past 10 years, apart from other funds assigned by the European Union.
Increasing taxation or other fiscal measures, or introducing restrictions on the use of private vehicles would be adding insult to injury on car owners and drivers, who already pay considerable vehicle registration taxes and annual circulation taxes.
The rate of vehicle taxation in Malta as a percentage of total taxation is the highest in the EU, as indicated in the 2014 Eurostat publication 'Taxation trends in the European Union', Table 73, page 246.
The partial solution to traffic congestion, which may not be eliminated completely, is not limiting the number of cars on the island or restricting the use of private cars, but finding a way of reducing bottlenecks and other obstructions to the flow of traffic, wherever possible. One driver can only drive one car at a time, so the number of registered vehicles is not the determining factor of traffic congestion.
If and when the authorities seek foreign consultants, as they did in the case of the Kappara junction, they need to follow their advice. The previous administration did not implement a 'hamburger' roundabout with traffic lights, but left the roundabout as it were. The present administration does not appear to have taken a good look at the British consultants' views on the matter.
If our technical people have difficulties improving the situation without recurring to higher taxes or restrictions, foreign experts in road construction and traffic management need to be invited to give a helping hand. In the absence of the construction of 'express lanes', no higher taxes on private vehicles or their use will be acceptable. All the revenue collected from vehicle taxation needs to be invested in a better road infrastructure.
The Malta Automobile Club is calling a general meeting on Friday, 14th November at 7.00 pm at the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Attard, courtesy of the management, to discuss fuel prices, traffic congestion and the petition to reduce vehicle taxation, in addition to other administrative issues and driver education.
Alfred A. Farrugia is the President of the Malta Automobile Club