Fifty-five traffic enforcement officers will be deployed at critical junctions in order to improve the flow of traffic, particularly between 6am and 10am, Transport Malta CEO Kurt Farrugia said on Thursday.

He added that there will also be over 10 patrolling motorbikes deployed, with 9 of them being deployed to particular areas as part of the enforcement strategy, with at least 1 motorbike being considered "free-flowing" and not designated to a particular area. TM said that mobile officers on motorbikes will be monitoring side streets and responding to issues immediately.

The TM CEO referred to the back-to-school period as a "critical period for the country's roads". Naturally, the number of cars on the road will noticeably increase when the scholastic year begins, particularly due to school drop-offs and pick-ups in the morning and afternoons as well as teachers commuting.

Farrugia said that officials tasked with managing traffic have recently been given specialised training for this purpose. He continued that anytime there is an accident, the traffic practically stops and goes by very slowly, but that TM is working to have more effective patrolling and better response times. He added that TM is also working to improve the time by which vehicles involved in road accidents are removed from the road to reduce the congestion of traffic.

Further detailing the back-to-school plans, Transport Malta said that they were prepared in collaboration with stakeholders such as LESA and Local Councils.

It listed five topics of priority, those being the congestion of traffic, morning drop-offs and afternoon collections at schools, targeted traffic management measures aimed at alleviating school-related congestion, along with enforcement strategies and improved coordination for road works and road network interventions. It added that a priority is the key challenges such as limited road infrastructure, densely populated areas, and narrow streets in residential zones.

TM said that the plans aim to balance long-term infrastructure improvements with short-term, actionable strategies. It continued that the objectives are to reduce delays and improve road safety on Maltese roads, minimise traffic and delays during peak school hours, as well as implement sustainable solutions to handle future increases in the use of vehicles.

It said that the enforcement strategy entails ensuring that traffic laws are followed and that consistent enforcement serves to improve traffic flow and safety for motorists and pedestrians. TM added that key measures within this strategy include strict parking regulations and speed limit enforcement in school zones.

In terms of prioritised enforcement areas, TM said that stationary officers will be at key intersections and no-parking zones in the morning and during afternoon rush hours. It said that there will be a visible enforcement presence which will aim to promote traffic rule adherence and reduce traffic congestion. A TM official remarked that they believe that the presence of uniformed officials will improve deterrence as people become more conscious of the rules in the presence of officials.

 

Transport Malta indicated 27 areas within its plans which will be considered 'fixed enforcement points', including in Paola, Mosta, Qormi, Santa Venera, and Marsa.

Speaking on the Road Works Unit, TM said that immediate actions taken by the RWU include the suspension of new permits for road works near schools. It added that new permits will only be issued after a thorough review in order to ensure minimal traffic impact during the back-to-school period.

A TM official said that infrastructural work needs to be done, but that "we need to be careful" during the back-to-school period due to traffic being more than normal. He said that due to this, the number of works around schools which can affect traffic is being limited, and continued that cases of roadworks being at important junctions will be halted for consideration to start during another period so as to not worsen the flow of traffic, both in a general and a locality sense.

TM said that contractors with existing permits must inform the RWU before carrying out any work during the back-to-school period.

TM continued that it is issuing a new directive to Local Councils to restrict permits for road closures or interventions during peak traffic hours, applicable with immediate effect. It added that no permits for road closures or interventions will be issued between 6am and 9:30am, Monday to Friday, excluding public and school holidays. It commented that the locations affected by this include those in the vicinity of schools, roads prone to traffic congestion, and road closures without prior consultation with TM.

It spoke about improvements to the Arterial/Distributor and Local Road Network and said that the proposed measures include parking restrictions along with one-way traffic systems to help reduce congestion and enhance pedestrian safety on narrow residential streets and near schools should be introduced on narrow residential streets and near schools.

TM referred to some examples of key road adjustments for traffic improvement, including Triq L-Imrabat in Sliema, where a bus stop was realigned to prevent buses from stopping on the road, and also referred to how footpath modifications were made in Mselliet to allow for better minivan access to schools.

TM added that a stand-by tow truck service will be available free of charge during rush hours in key locations.

In terms of communication improvements and updates, TM said that it will be issuing daily live traffic updates from its traffic control centre between 6am and 10am. It added that there will be an increased use of social media platforms for frequent traffic updates and that there will be an ongoing educational campaign on the importance of road safety.

Transport Malta concluded that these plans will be continuously monitored and that further adjustments will be made as needed throughout the school year.