Private sector may handle roads network
The government is mulling the possibility of handing over the responsibility for the quality of roads to the private sector, Transport Minister Austin Gatt said yesterday.
"Malta's road network level is not acceptable and needs immediate addressing," he said, admitting that the government has not invested enough, except for a few arterial roads which were mainly EU funded. "Money is the problem," he said. "The road network requires an investment of €45 million a year and the government has not managed that".
He did not go into specifics but when asked for further clarification, a Roads Ministry spokesman said the plan was for the roads network to be transferred to a contractor responsible for the design, build, financing and operation of the roads.
The contractor would be responsible for building and maintaining the roads for a definite period to have high and uniform standards throughout the network. Further details would be announced in the coming weeks, the spokesman said.
The Labour Party (PL) criticised the fact that such an announcement was not made in Parliament.
It said it would comment in detail when the government's plans were fully explained, adding that the explanation should include how EU funds allocated for the roads would be used, whether consumers would be asked to pay road tolls and what would happen to road employees.
The ministry took exception to the suggestion that people could be made to pay tolls, denying Labour's "implication" categorically. It said it made it clear that talks were still at an early stage and that consultations would be carried out with all stakeholders.
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Edwin formosa
Mar 13th 2009, 13:43
"Finally, the reason why the road network is in such a decrepit state is because it was allowed to reach that state - by this government." Is- Sur Ramon Casha nesa li dan hu l-ewewl gvern li bena toroq suriet in-nies go Malta !
L..Galea
Mar 13th 2009, 12:17
D Schembri
Management?
That word doesn't exist in the pn vocabulary.
Only words such as taxation, incompetence, lackeys, etc exist for them.
Peter Aquilina
Mar 13th 2009, 11:42
ANOTHER SCHEME TO " CREATE " NEW "JOBS" FOR THE "BOYS" !!
A scheme that , of course, shall be "financed" by John the Citizen.
R. Azzopardi
Mar 13th 2009, 11:20
@D Schembri.
Well said mate! Some time ago I watched a documentary about duck hunting in Canada. All the money generated by hunting licences, fees and what-have-you is invested in breeding grounds and conservation areas and hadn't it been for the hunters, the duck population wouldn't be as large as it is today. Now that's what I call good fund management.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 13th 2009, 11:20
And the company/consortium managing these roads, what income will they get?
From where will their income be generated? Nobody does anything for nothing!
More taxes, perhaps? Or taxes in the form of road cameras?
One wonders.
Ramon Casha
Mar 13th 2009, 11:05
Some time ago I had suggested that all contracts for new roads should be tied to a contract for the maintenance of the same road for a set period (say 20 years). This would be an incentive for the contractor to produce a high-quality and long-lasting road to begin with. So I will be interested to hear the details of this plan.
For instance, who will be responsible for classifying road surface quality? How long after damage is reported (eg after a storm) will the contractor be obliged to repair it?
Perhaps the biggest question of all: Who will assume responsibility and foot the bill if, mere weeks after a brand new road is finished, it is torn up again to pass new drainage pipes or something?
There's a problem in the ministry's statement though. If "money is the problem", I doubt it will be solved merely by privatising things. The private sector may well produce better results, but it does not produce cheaper results.
Finally, the reason why the road network is in such a decrepit state is because it was allowed to reach that state - by this government.
e.cortis
Mar 13th 2009, 10:41
I starting to smell a fishy mouse !!... Let's hope this will not be another way to burden us drivers and families with some innovative tax: the TOLL system which is so common overseas !!. Dr.Gatt, please !!!
Stephen Spiteri
Mar 13th 2009, 10:13
Shame on you PN. 21 years in government and still unable to solve this impasse
D Schembri
Mar 13th 2009, 09:58
€45 Million a year divide by approcimately 250,000 regsitered vehicles gives you €180 per vehicle per year, which is more or less the amount paid by each vehicle as annual license. So, excuse me, but money is not the problem, its the management of money which is the problem.