No vehicles other than public transport will be allowed on arterial roads and town centres on Sunday, September 18, when Malta and the rest of Europe celebrate Car Free Day.

It will be the first time in years that roads will actually be closed for Car Free Day. Motorists had previously been urged not to use their cars, but roads remained open.

Mepa said today in Outlook - its journal on environmental protection and planning - that on September 18 it will conduct an air quality monitoring exercise on the major arterial roads when they are free of traffic, comparing the results with normal traffic days. NGOs and local councils will organise activities in the car-free areas.

A committee formed of representatives of Mepa and other government departments and authorities,  is preparing the Car Free Day events to compare air quality. Its purpose is to raise awareness about how the individual citizen can be part of the solution to reduce traffic congestion.

The committee will promote the use of public transport, raise awareness on excessive dependence on car transport, encourage a shift in public attitudes towards alternative, more environmentally-friendly forms of mobility and show that a reduction of cars can improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.

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