Revellers opt for safe roads
Drink-driving awareness campaigns are sinking in and more people are opting to usher in the New Year on a safe note by booking alternative transport for tonight’s celebrations. Three companies offering van and taxi services said they were inundated...
Drink-driving awareness campaigns are sinking in and more people are opting to usher in the New Year on a safe note by booking alternative transport for tonight’s celebrations.
Three companies offering van and taxi services said they were inundated with bookings for tonight and their drivers would be shuttling across the island picking up people from big parties or home gatherings.
The companies are practically fully booked and they believe the campaigns that started brewing in the run-up to the festive season on the dangers of drink-driving are the reason behind this.
The fact that the police announced that they will be adopting a zero tolerance approach and stopping any drivers they suspect may be over the limit and subjecting them to breathalyser tests has probably also had an effect.
Arriva Malta has teamed up with the police to launch a safety campaign through adverts on its buses urging people to drive slowly, wear seatbelts and refrain from using their mobile while driving.
Matthew Bezzina, director of Ecabs, said there has been a bigger demand for his taxi service throughout the past months in the wake of more intense awareness campaigns and traffic law enforcement.
“The public seems to have matured. People have realised it’s not worth it to venture out in their own vehicles when considering the hassle of finding parking space, traffic accidents and time wasted stuck in traffic,” he said.
What worried him, he said, was closing off Floriana’s main traffic artery, St Anne Street, on “one of the busiest nights of the year”.
“Organising two separate events in two adjacent localities is silly because it creates traffic congestion and journeys to and from both localities take much longer.
“This weighs down both on the transport service providers, because we would have to make fewer trips at the same fixed price, and on clients themselves because pick-up points are more limited because of the restricted number of open roads,” Mr Bezzina added.
Public transport could also be given priority over private vehicles, a frustrated Mr Bezzina added. This year, alternative transport was not just popular with young people.
Joe Gerada, director of Gejxa Garage, a popular transport service based in Paceville, said this year’s trend tilted towards an older generation and away from Paceville.
Fully booked for New Year’s Eve, he said the garage had received bookings for Valletta, Floriana and Ta’ Qali, among others.
“It seems as if people realised they should avoid traffic accidents and, since they’re determined to drink, they have opted for alternative transport,” he said.
Gordon Farrugia, from John’s Garage, another major company, also reported that demand was high this year and bookings were chock-a-block.
The company’s van service was also almost fully booked.
“Taking into consideration the increase in competition, demand is high. The drink-driving awareness campaigns have had a large effect on driving trends,” he added.
Chilly with a sprinkle of glitter
People venturing out of their cosy houses to celebrate the start of the New Year should button up against the chilly temperatures characteristic of December. However, it is very unlikely that it will rain during the night.
Temperatures might drop to as low as 10C but the northwesterly wind blowing at force six and even seven this morning will drop to five in the evening and three during the night.
Those who would rather drink to a prosperous New Year on a rocking boat should be on the alert because sea conditions will remain moderate to rough.