The news that the government announced (in a convoluted way) in the budget, to allow general motor vehicle licence holders to be legally allowed to ride two-wheel vehicles with up to a  capacity of 125cc is welcome news.

Anyone who has been on a trip to other Southern nations will be familiar with the sight and sound of motorinos and scooters zipping around cities. The most obvious benefit of the introduction of such a law would be alleviating the chronic traffic problem that blights Malta.

Some will say that Malta will become a noisier place. They may well be right. But in the trade off, what is better? Snarled up and gridlocked traffic, or a much looser flow, albeit dominated by two-wheeler traffic?

At this point in time, many people in Malta would plump for the second option, no questions asked. This measure will have a real and tangible effect on traffic, there is no doubt. It will also give a push to the economy as many people will consider investing in a small scooter to save money in the long run in terms of road licence fees, as well as petrol consumption.

However, the question must also be asked. Are we ready for all the administrative hassle that is going to come with this changeover come January?

What about insurance companies? Will they be liable for personal injury once the new regulations come into effect? What about hospital and health centres? Will they be prepared for the wave of injuries which will no doubt (unfortunately) happen as soon as a few thousands wannabe Valentino Rossis take to the streets en masse? On that note, personal responsibility also comes into play here as anyone planning to buy such a mode of transportation should not simply hop on a bike and work it out as they go along. We are not a nation that is brought up on motorinos such as Italy or Greece. We might be a few years down the line, but the sensible thing to do here is to get some lessons and ensure that we are road and traffic ready.

Let us not take this the wrong way. The move is a positive one and it will hopefully have a drastic and positive effect on the traffic situation. But once again, are we ready for it? Or are we shooting from the hip and hoping for the best?

Will the tidal wave system (or the normal road system) cater for small bikes having their own lanes? Consultation should take place and guidelines should be issued before the implementation date of this project.  If managed well, we could see the biggest single drop in traffic volume Malta has ever experienced.