The Nationalist Party believes that a trackless tram or a similar form of dedicated rapid transit system would be the best way to help tackle the traffic problems in the country in the long term, the Nationalist Party's spokesperson for Transport and Mobility Mark Anthony Sammut told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

"In our 2022 electoral manifesto, we had proposed the introduction of a mass transport system based on a trackless tram system, that would pass through dedicated lanes and would link important regions together." This, Sammut said, would help people reach such destinations in a short time span without getting stuck in traffic.

Then, the MP said, from the points where the trackless tram would stop, there would be feeder public transport buses to take people around those regions.

While the PN is still pushing for this proposal, he said, it would need to be updated to take into account technological advances that take place. The costs of the proposal had been estimated and station locations identified.

Now, Sammut said, the government is looking at a very similar idea. "While the government in the past had ridiculed the idea and said that it was bad, it is now saying that it will consider going for something similar."

Transport Minister Chris Bonett mentioned a rapid bus transit system, Sammut said, "which is essentially the same thing, using dedicated lanes. Whether it is a trackless tram or a large bus is just a detail, but the concept the government is mentioning is the same. And we have to move in that direction. We need to provide an alternative that takes people from point A to point B in a short time".

Regarding the width of the country's roads, he mentioned that there are main routes where lanes can be narrowed, allowing for the creation of a dedicated lane without having to reduce the number of lanes.

Malta has many roads where lanes are wider than the European standard, Sammut said. "But there will be a few roads where you would need to take up a lane. You have to give preference to those who are opting to reduce traffic by using that system rather than using their private car. Of course you have to provide an efficient, fast and reliable service," he stressed.

When informed that bus lanes had been introduced in the past but faced backlash, he was asked if the success of such a system would require cooperation from both parties to move it forward. "To have a long-term solution to traffic, there is a bigger chance of success if there is agreement between the government and the Opposition and that it won't be used as political capital. The success or not of the system would depend a lot on the order of execution. If you create a bus lane but the service is inadequate, resulting in people still using their cars thus increasing traffic because of that lane, then you cannot blame people for getting angry. But if you create an alternative to private cars - and in certain cases you can provide it without taking an existing lane - that people know will take them to their destination on time without the fear of it arriving full or late, then I believe people will make the choice to use it rather than opt to wait in traffic and have to look for parking. The mentality shift we are passing through now is that we are realising that using cars takes up a lot of time."

Having said this, he believes that such a tram, while being a long-term measure, needs to be part of a package. "You need to approach the issue from different angles."

He mentioned that in cases where people might be reluctant to use the mass transport system, then they should be incentivised to use other means where possible that do not cause traffic, like walking, cycling or using a motorbike.

In the short-term, he said, there are things that can be done to help reduce the traffic problem, such as improving safety on the roads. "One of the reasons people don't use some of the alternatives to a car, like cycling or motorbikes, is that they don't feel safe on the roads. This is due to both insufficient protection provided by the legislation and the presence of 'cowboys' on the road, due to the enormous lack of enforcement."

He also pointed out that another issue is the roadworks being carried out by Infrastructure Malta "that don't pay attention to certain safety conditions that are meant to be imposed and which nobody enforces. It wouldn't be the first time that you pass by some works on a road, with open trenches but no barriers or see that the only thing between a pavement and a trench would be a net". He said that improving safety conditions on the road can be an immediate, short-term measure.

Another short-term measure, he said, could be the use of smart traffic lights. "They haven't been installed anywhere. A tender was issued nine years ago, but I don't know what happened to it. It is a simple way to help reduce traffic (...) They would make use of sensors and change according to the traffic flow."

Yet another measure, he said, would be to use the screens installed at various intervals on main roads by Transport Malta which show the speed limit, time, or if a lane is open for a different means. "Why not have the screens state that there would be a delay expected on a road if there is traffic congestion, and suggest that drivers find another route?" he asked.

The government has implemented a number of measures to try and alleviate traffic. The PN MP was asked to identify where he believes the government has done well and what points he believes the government failed on which the PN would handle differently.

"An issue the government hasn't handled well is roadworks coordination. You cannot dig up a road for Infrastructure Malta one day, and then two months after it is done, have the same road closed because now Enemalta would need to pass a cable."

In the past, he said, there were technical units that would coordinate with others tied to roadworks.

He said that the introduction of free public transport was a good point, "but has the number of Maltese people using public transport increased because it was made free? Maltese people didn't use public transport not because it cost €1, for example, but because they would have to wait long for a bus and because the system wasn't reliable".

Asked whether there have been talks between the government and the Opposition on these ideas and on solving the traffic problems in the country, Sammut said: "What is for sure is that we need to think long-term. To implement a dedicated rapid transit system, or other alternatives mentioned in the past, such as the metro the government mentioned which we spent millions on but is no longer on the cards it seems, or a light rail system, we need to think long-term. We cannot think in terms of five-year intervals. As we did in other sectors, when we want to do something long-term, there needs to be dialogue between the government and Opposition. Until now this hasn't happened."

He said that when he and Transport Minister Chris Bonett were appointed to their respective roles, they met once unofficially.

The PN MP also highlighted issues with consistency due to the frequent changes in transport ministers. "There wasn't even continuation in terms of where the government was heading. Ian Borg launched the metro project. Then Aaron Farrugia started other projects, and now there is Chris Bonett, and the metro doesn't seem to be on the table. Unfortunately, there doesn't even seem to be long-term discussions within the government itself."

He said that the ministry recently said it will launch a consultation process with the constituted bodies and the Opposition on the government's vision for transport. "When we are invited we will participate in that process and provide our ideas. It seems that the few ideas the minister has mentioned are essentially ones that we had mentioned in the past. It is a shame that back then they were ridiculed and that so much time was wasted. I hope that a way forward will be found that will start alleviating the problem."

"Whatever we do, if we don't start to seriously look at how we are going to change the country's economic model so that we will no longer remain dependent on an increase in the population, any initiative or measure we take will only alleviate the problem for a short time, and as time passes the problem will again grow." 

Queried as to whether in the long run, Malta needs some form of a tracked mass transport system, Sammut said: "If we go for a mass transit system, be it a trackless tram or a bus rapid transit system, I think that would be enough. We believe such a system would be more cost-effective and feasible than building a fully-tracked rail system."

Turning to the car-centric mentality in the country, he said that youths today think differently. Such a mentality change can be brought about by ensuring that there is an alternative system which helps them reach their destination within a more efficient timeframe, removing the time needed to find parking, removing expenses related to car insurance, repairs and other expenses. "You can also incentivise older generations not to use their car where possible, and we have made proposals to this effect, such as by introducing a yearly grant for people who get rid of their car and go carless for five years. Another is for payments made on the car license to also be based on how much that car is used."

Asked whether cycling lanes are really an effective form of alternative transport in Malta, given that the island doesn't offer much flat terrain, Sammut said that if the lanes are safe, "and if there is proper legislation to protect cyclists and lanes take cyclists the whole way from point of departure to their destination, people would use them. I would use them. Yes Malta is hilly, but there are electric bikes which help people climb without having to make too much of an effort. It is a viable alternative mode of transport, especially given the distances between localities".

"Regarding university students, more than half live within 5km of the campus. Rather than creating more car parking spaces at the university, why aren't students supported more to get electric bicycles or to use other forms of transport? It would make it easier for students."

The PN's target, he said, is that "five years after we are elected to govern, 10% of trips in Malta will be carried out through cycling".

Queried as to whether he believes there are too many authorities responsible for traffic management, he said that this is not really the issue. The problem, rather, is that the division between their responsibilities isn't clear, resulting in some members of the public being sent back and forth at times, Sammut said. "The impression is also being given that certain authorities are directed to, in certain areas or on certain issues, not to enforce. People notice this. Look at The Strand in Sliema... there are always cars double parked and nobody takes action."

Asked whether a PN government would consider disincentives for private car use, Sammut doesn't believe it should. "First we have to give people an alternative and incentivise them to use it. If that doesn't solve it, then we can have other debates, but if disincentives are just introduced all it would result in is a new tax."

"We need to give incentives for people to use alternatives, and I believe that will be enough to reduce the problem. Now if that isn't enough, then one can possibly start looking at other things, but generally speaking we are not in favour of disincentives."

Asked whether the PN believes a Malta-Gozo tunnel should still be on the cards, he said that the government should make all the feasibility and geological studies that were carried out public, so that any opinion will be built on proper data. "Then it should be something that Gozitans decide upon, as it mainly affects their connectivity to the main island. There are pros and cons to the tunnel. There are Gozitans in favour as it makes it easier for them to live in Gozo and work and study in Malta, but given the way certain authorities fail to do their job properly, especially when it comes to the protection of the environment and our landscapes from overdevelopment, the danger of it is that it will make overdevelopment in Gozo easier." As for the current transport options between Malta and Gozo, he said that there is room for improvement, mentioning the MV Nikolaos. "It's as though you are boarding a third world vessel." Turning to the fast ferry service, he said that more can be done to better link Gozo to Valletta and possibly even introduce other stops along the way. One issue he heard about, he said, is that the fast ferry stops operating early, meaning that if someone finishes work slightly after 7pm, one cannot catch the ferry from Valletta to go to Gozo.

Sea transport is a mode of transport that can be expanded upon, he said, not only to link Malta to Gozo, but also to expand on the ferries being offered from one locality on the island to another.