During the past few decades, Malta has experienced increased private car usage leading to more congested roads and parking problems. These views were discussed during a breakfast meeting organised by Ernst & Young Limited last month at the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort, St Julian's.

Speakers at the meeting included the chief executive officer and deputy chief executive officer of the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) and the Minister for Urban Development and Roads.

ADT officials explained how the authority concentrated its efforts at addressing its mission's key objective of providing a modern road network and infrastructure that are both environmentally safe and sustainable. The ADT has and continues to develop and invest in its workforce to inculcate within it the true centre of its operations - the public.

ADT CEO Gianfranco Selvaggi explained that it is fundamental for all the various transport service providers to understand that the core focus of all operations in the transport industry is and will always be the clear focus and interest of the citizen. The average local spend in the past three years on road construction has amounted to approximately Lm14 million per annum.

These past three years have been very hectic and continue to be as the authority continues to use critical EU (and Italian Protocol) funding for the improvement of the Maltese and Gozitan road network. As part of the ADT's commitment to serve the public, a Customer Service Unit has been set up and an Intelligent Road Projects Traffic Management System is being planned in the near future.

By launching the Park and Ride Scheme, the authority wanted to show that things could change for the better. It was not by coincidence that it was decided that no fees were to be charged to launch this new concept of travel. This was purposely done to entice the public to use a service, which it was earlier sceptical about.

According to Mr Selvaggi, public transport still needs to be improved, although in these last years the authority has led with the launch of additional services and routes, which seem to have been positively received by certain categories of the public.

These successes included the direct routes for University students and the extended service to St Luke's Hospital, not to mention the very good co-ordination and patronage achieved during the one-off Notte Magica and Notte Bianca events.

The coming months will see the introduction of more direct or express routes, the implementation of a refurbished main bus terminus and the introduction of bus hubs in (at least) two other key localities - Mater Dei Hospital and Paola.

David Sutton, deputy chief executive officer at the ADT, then went into further detail on trends in the transport industry in Malta over the past decade. His presentation showed the following salient features, which characterised Maltese society vis-à-vis transport:

• rapid increase in motorisation;

• increased mobility;

• decline in public transport patronage;

• increase in freight movement;

• increase in road infrastructure;

• increase in road accidents;

• environment degradation; and

• organisational structures.

According to a survey carried out in 2000, Malta ranks higher in terms of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants compared with the EU 15. Furthermore, from 1989 to 1998, there has been a modal shift from journeys effected by public transport or traditional means to journeys carried out by the private car.

Average daily travel in 1989 amounted to 17 km. This more than doubled by 2000 to reach 35 km.

Increased mobility by means of private cars has other implications, such as alarming obesity rates in Malta, which obviously have a negative impact on the well-being of the public.

Air quality and the overall environment have also degraded as a result of the heavy levels of motorisation with Mr Sutton showing the results of tests carried out in St Anne Street, Floriana, where the amount of PM10 was shown to exceed the maximum (allowable) threshold of 50 Um per cubic metre accepted by the EU at various points during the day.

Mr Sutton also highlighted that the ADT's strategy includes the following targets:

• stabilising bus service patronage to 1995 levels;

• 20 per cent reduction in on-street parking, particularly in town centres;

• establishing schemes for Green Transport Plans;

• 50 per cent reduction in injury accidents by 2014;

• 20 per cent reduction in harmful transport emissions in the urban areas;

• 30 per cent reduction in cars entering the Valletta peninsula;

• 50 per cent of traffic management schemes implemented will be aimed solely at improving the conditions for non-motorists;

• 95 per cent of walkways should be within standard design; and

• establishing schemes for safe routes to schools for all town primary schools.

These ambitious targets could be met by achieving a modal shift by:

a) improving public transport. The authority's strategy for 2007-2009 in improving public transport has the following six pillars:

• training of drivers;

• clearer regulatory framework;

• improved reliability of services;

• bus infrastructure upgrade;

• bus network improvements; and

• more effective enforcement.

b) promoting alternative forms of transport. The authority plans to embark on the following new projects during 2007-2009:

• new park and ride systems;

• vertical transport for fortified cities;

• tourist transport (open top buses and trackless trains);

• locality transport - electric mini-cabs;

• promoting cycling and walking; and

• sea ferries.

c) restraining non-essential car use. The authority plans to implement the following measures in this timeframe:

• parking management;

• car access restrictions (applicable to Valletta); and

• integrating land use and transport planning.

Mr Selvaggi emphasised the importance of marketing in this sector.

He noted that when speaking of public transport providers, this is a vast area that incorporates taxi providers and public service garages operators including karozzini.

No one is excluded from understanding the public needs and one cannot segment the type of customer. It is futile and completely illogical for anyone to differentiate customers by categorising the public between locals, visitors or tourists.

Concentration should be on all the public. It is here that one must understand that the modal shift must happen not as a default or saturation evidently occurring on the islands, but because the authority together with the different operators have managed to entice the public, change its perception while gaining its undivided trust. Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett concluded the meeting by emphasising the importance of having all stakeholders united in serving the public in line with the strategy of the Malta Transport Authority for the benefit of the nation as a whole.

The breakfast meeting was well attended by the various stakeholders in the transportation industry. Stakeholders present included representatives from the Public Transport Association, the Unscheduled Bus Service, garage owners, representatives from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and representatives from the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads.

The operators and the minister addressed issues being encountered in the operators' particular sectors, in particular passenger safety and the safety of the public, the need for improvement in street furniture and ongoing information to the various commuters and the need to further understand the Fifth Motor Insurance Directive.