Traffic pollution costs the county up to €14 million annually, according to traffic expert Maria Attard.

Speaking on Times Talk this evening, Prof. Attard said this was an an accumulated cost of pollutants which was not seen anywhere in the economy.

The amount was calculated through the cost of traffic on health, the built environment and biodiversity.

Prof. Attard said traffic in Malta was the second biggest source of CO2 generation following power stations.

The solution, she said, was to start implementing the polluter pays principle where one paid for the real cost and not just the direct cost of a service.

This meant that one should also pay for external effects, such as noise, congestion and climate change adaptation.

Enivironment minister Leo Brincat, who also took part described traffic as a ‘timebomb’ that could easily explode in one’s face.

Presented by Times of Malta’s head of media Herman Grech and chief reporter Mark Micallef, the programme will be available for viewing on this website from tomorrow.