Bicycles cheaper but roads are narrow, unsafe

In this budget we are told that we should start using a bicycle, to avoid pollution. It makes sense but it is very dangerous to use a bicycle in Malta, when a lot of our streets are so narrow. We are lucky to have sidewalks on some of them, never mind enough space for a bicycle to pass through.

Holland and Belgium have thousands and thousands of bicycles, but they have bicycles paths everywhere and they also have the right of way. Here not even pedestrians are safe; even on marked areas, motorists often don't stop for someone to cross.

I believe that it's very unsafe to drive a bike in the narrow streets. We go shopping for groceries, take the children to school, go to church etc. all in our local areas where the streets are narrow and where one has to stop in a house entrance at times, so a car can go by.

I personally like to take public transportation more than drive for I feel safer and don't have to pay for parking, but there are times when you can't. I am not sure that it is safe to advise the use of bicycles in our narrow streets, as even the pavements are narrow in most areas.