Malta's road building projects have been a total policy failure, and have only benefited the few contractors involved, ADPD - The Green Party Secretary General Ralph Cassar said.

Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia announced a new major investment in creating a national cycle network (€35 million for the creation of a national network of cycle routes, together with a national cycling strategy) after joining the cyclists for a ride last weekend. Commenting on the announcement, ADPD said that "it is positive that cycling activists have extracted a commitment from Minister Aaron Farrugia for safe routes for commuter cyclists."

"This is a change from the anti-scooter, anti-bicycle and anti-pedestrian rhetoric of the recent past, both by previous transport Minister Ian Borg, and the incumbent," the ADPD said in a statement.

"While it is good that the Minister has committed to safe cycling routes for commuters, we hope that this project will be pursued with the same level of zeal, commitment and proper funding as the self-defeating pro-car projects," Ralph Cassar said.

"Serious alternative mobility projects mean assigning road space to lower-impact and cleaner modes of mobility. It does not mean leaving everything as is, nor does it mean taking up existing open spaces. There is enough space on the roads themselves which can be reassigned to bicycles, pedelecs, scooters and pedestrians," he said.

ADPD - The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo added: "We just hope that experienced mobility consultants and engineers are engaged and that when the necessary decisions to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and public transport need to be taken, Aaron Farrugia and government don't back down. Stakeholders must be involved in any plans of commuter cycling routes from the beginning."

Cacopardo said that the ADPD feels that a major priority should be to connect post-secondary institutions, MCAST and the University of Malta campuses at least to the surrounding towns. "It is also pertinent to point out that despite Minister Farrugia's commitment, the absolute priority once again afforded to private cars in the wasteful Msida flyover project goes contrary to the spirit of his new-found conversion to sustainable mobility."

"Once again, after years of anti-sustainability, pro-pollution populism... seeing is believing."