A pilot project this week, being carried out by Malta Public Transport (MPT), could yield some interesting results.

The pilot project is designed to explore the potential benefits of utilising smaller, electric vehicles in localities and areas where current bus sizes may be less practical, MPT said.

There are certain localities where roads are quite narrow. Others where roads are a decent size, but a regular sized bus could cause road blockages. Thus exploring the idea of smaller buses, which would likely need to be coupled with increased frequencies to be successful, could prove beneficial.

The issue of traffic on the roads and the sheer volume of private vehicles has led to many urging the need for a plan to tackle the issue.

One way of tackling the issue, would be through the introduction of many small measures which, collectively, could have an impact.

Indeed improving the attractiveness, efficiency and service of public transport would be part of the solution.

But this needs to be coupled with a lot more. First of all, one must highlight the length of time roadworks take in this country. There are instances where it is just too long. This creates congestion when, for instance, a road is closed, due to the limited alternative routes there would be. On this point, and slightly off topic, one has to highlight the importance of road safety.  This newsroom is informed, for instance, that the works at St Andrews are not well lit at night, and thus are not exactly safe.

A measure which the government introduced last year, making public transport free was a good step, but as this newsroom has said before, it is clearly not enough.

It is highly unlikely that there is a single measure which, on its own, can solve Malta’s traffic problem. Indeed the aforementioned is not going to do so. However, solving Malta’s traffic problem will likely come in the form of a combination of many different measures.

One measure worth mentioning was proposed by the Malta Chamber of Commerce is an e-mobility wallet. In their proposals to the budget, it suggested the introduction of “an e-mobility wallet with government allocating an annual amount to every e-wallet to be used for various environmentally sustainable or shared transportation options (by land and sea).” This could incentivise people to use alternative modes of transport.

Another proposal the Chamber made which is worth talking about was to also “introduce parking fees in central urban areas with fees paid being transferred into an e-mobility wallet for use of sustainable means of transport.”

Yet another proposal, was to consider public-private partnerships to reallocate on-road parking spaces to new multi-story underground parking spaces suited for vehicle charging, therefore freeing up the space on the road - this can be integrated with park and ride services, where necessary, or adequate walking and cycling infrastructure including sharing platforms, for people to move around, it said. This latter proposal could be a good idea for certain areas where parking is always problematic for instance, and would effectively mean that public and alternative transport on those streets would no longer be stuck in traffic, or struggle passing through.

Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia had also been exploring the idea of staggering services in the morning in order to reduce vehicles on the road during peak hours.

Recently, a National Cycling Strategy which was published for consultation by the Transport Ministry, and one awaits to see the outcome of feedback on this.

There are many other possible solutions to help the traffic problem.

What the government needs to do, is identify what is suitable for Malta, which measures would truly work, and take action. What it must not do, is leave everything as is, because with the ever growing number of vehicles on the road that would only lead to more congestion.