Opening the vehicular underpass at December 13 Road, Marsa, a few weeks back, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said the government would address the traffic problem that was increasingly becoming a headache for many people in a number of areas.
Motorists and commuters could not agree with him more. Driving is already a nightmare and the situation seems to be getting from bad to worse.
Yet Transport Malta does not seem to want to admit it. The way it behaves indicates it may still be considering motorists’ worries as mere perceptions.
At least Mr Mizzi acknowledges a serious situation exists. In fact, he had already raised the issue of congestion last October when he met Ten-T transport network coordinator Pat Cox about the need to improve traffic management and address traffic bottlenecks.
It is, therefore, crucial that we move from words to action. Also, the powers-that-be need to be resourceful in tapping all the funds they can get from the European Union and/or whichever other international organisation that can assist in such projects.
The country is fast approaching saturation point in traffic flow (if it is not already there, that is).
In another editorial on the same topic last October, Times of Malta had said: “The need to address traffic management and come up with a workable strategy that will start yielding results in the short term but also provides for long-term planning has become an urgent matter.”
Given the chaotic situation on many roads during many periods of the day, it is inevitable to ask: what are the authorities doing about it?
As the stock of licensed motor vehicles continues to grow – the number went up from 271,137 at the end of 2004 to 322,960 last December, almost 80 per cent are passenger cars – and public transport still failing to attract the masses, matters can only get worse.
Effective traffic management and better planning is the only solution. The government should lose no time in setting up an ad hoc commission that will be as representative as possible to assess the situation and draw up a plan of action, both short and long term.
It would then be up to the government to see that urgent action is taken and the necessary funds secured. This is apart from plans to have cleaner and healthier means of transport.
Exercising more discipline on the roads and ensuring the flow of traffic, even by using alternative routes, are measures that can be taken immediately.
It is evident that many roads are no longer adequate to handle the sort of traffic load that often passes through and that roundabouts – so abundant in this tiny island – are most of the time slowing down the flow rather than easing it.
Road design, including more flyovers, such as that proposed for Kappara, and alternative means of transport are measures that will take time to implement but which the country cannot do without if it wants to avoid coming to a standstill, quite literally.
All those involved, whether in traffic management or motorists themselves, should also be taken into account when drawing up plans for the future.
Admittedly, what is being proposed here may be a long, winding and bumpy road but it is the only route that can lead us to smoother and faster traffic flows and, thus, less waste of time.
As Transport Malta is unlikely to take any such action, the onus falls squarely on Mr Mizzi’s shoulders.
The minister is not usually a man to shun challenges.