One-way streets to danger, pollution

The mayor of Ta’ Xbiex brushes Gerry Cowie’s comments aside with the throwaway comment that “public safety was (the council’s) prime consideration” (Traffic Management In Ta’ Xbiex, October 6). This is, of course, pure humbug which contradicts received wisdom.

One-way streets can be more dangerous than two-way streets because they encourage motorists to drive more riskily and at greater speeds because there is no oncoming traffic; this results in increased danger to pedestrians and other road users. Fast driving occurs particularly on straight one-way roads and some drivers tend to treat such one-way streets like racetracks. One-way street systems are confusing to transit motorists and increase the potential for wrong way head-on collisions.

One-way streets impact negatively on pollution by lengthening journeys because drivers are obliged to make detours. Pollution is increased in uphill one-way streets because drivers tend to accelerate hard when entering them in the absence of downhill traffic. One-way streets are especially dangerous in our typically narrow streets – and polluting for residents and pedestrians because the easy transit they offer attracts traffic. Pollution becomes significant when the one-way street is in a shopping or residential area, especially if the street is relatively narrow.

One timesofmalta.com blogger justified creating one-way streets by complaining that the street in front of the church is “in complete disorder” at times when (Sunday) Mass is celebrated.

This illustrates the prevailing mentality of trying to park as near as possible to one’s destination. If there is a problem, surely one can avoid it by parking a little way off and then walking the short distance? Or indeed, why use the car at all if you are a local? The comment also highlights another negative effect of one-way roads – that of making access too easy. This means that more car owners will opt to use their car, with the consequent overall negative effect on health from lack of physical exercise.

One very valid point raised by a blogger was problems faced by disabled people alighting from vehicles. Rather than a one-way street (which doesn’t solve the problem), the solution for this is dead-simple: a council worth its salt should have the wisdom to provide sufficient reserved parking bays for the disabled near churches and other establishments.

Of course in Malta one-way streets continue to be introduced because our road designers insist on rigidly pandering to the obsession of easing motor vehicle traffic flow and providing parking space while ignoring the needs of other road users. To make matters worse, they then install road humps to slow traffic down again.