Shadow Minster for Transport Marthese Portelli criticised the government for not having a comprehensive roadwork management plan. She spoke of her request for a roadwork plan for the next two months, however the government could not reply.

Dr Portelli revealed that the Government had stated that the roadwork plan depends on exigencies.

“This is not the way to tackle the problem,” she exclaimed.

She discussed the 35 measures introduced in her traffic document, which focus on short-term solutions.

She noted how two lane roads broken up by large, one-lane roundabouts tends to create heavy traffic. She proposed reducing the size of certain roundabouts to reflect the traffic flow of the roads feeding into it.

Dr Portelli slammed the current use of the newly installed smart-monitors which can be found on the roads, stating that while messages such as ‘don’t drink and drive’ are positive, they are not being used for the intended purposes.

The launch of a database was proposed, which would show all commuter flows for Malta and Gozo, so that the government would be able to strategise properly. She advocated a more central IT role must be played in the fight to mitigate traffic, suggesting an application which could give commuters real time information on traffic.

“Timely information, complete information and correct information are of paramount importance in order to properly plan for consumer flows in any country,” she said.

Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, addressing an information session where Dr Portelli presented her measures in the presence of a number of key stakeholders in the industry, said that the Government has been questioned by the European Commission for not presenting a traffic report.

He added that this report should have been sent to the Commission by year-end 2015, however this has not happened. He slammed the Government for not coming up with concrete measures on how to mitigate the problem of traffic, adding that many local surveys show how the issue is a priority in the public eye.

Turning back to the measures put forward by Dr Portelli, she revealed plans for an ‘opt-in’ scheme:

This would entail “Implementation of a voluntary opt-in scheme, whereby car owners may opt to use their private car only on selected days and during particular times.

“Take up could be incentivised through schemes where, for example, owners would have their car-registration tax and/or licence fee reduced on a pro-rata basis or at a pre-established rate for taking their car off the roads in certain peak times when traffic is heaviest.

“The details of these cars would be entered into the real-tyme system available to enforcement officers responsible for traffic offences and also linked to ANPR cameras set up at strategic locations which cameras could also be used to monitor cars with foreign plactes that have failed to register with TM within the required time-frames,” reads the report.

On the subject of waste collection, Dr Portelli remarked that coordination with all waste collecting entities could prevent bottle-necks and would not require too much effort.

Taking a cue from foreign systems, Dr Portelli stressed that intermodal traffic should not be dismissed. This refers to making use of several modes of traffic in order to reach a destination, such as driving to a bus stop, using public transport and short walks to final destination. She noted how many-a-time this can be less time consuming and stressful then sitting in traffic.

Dr Busuttil stated that the Opposition looks at problem of traffic as a two-fold problem which requires short-term and long-term strategies. He emphasised that the current report presented looks at short term measures which can be implemented without huge costs.