The Nationalist Party has this afternoon unveiled its 35, short-term proposals aimed at reducing traffic congestion, which were launched at the party's general council last weekend.
Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil said that the issue of traffic was one of great concern among the Maltese, affecting people's quality of life and the time spent with children as well as their work, carrying economic implications.
The measures being put forth were neither bombastic or costly and did not require large infrastructural projects. The PN was also working on other long-term measures, he added.
The proposals were put together following consultation with traffic experts and the public.
"We are very disappointed that the government not only did not address the problem of traffic but that it has become worse," Dr Busuttil said.
"We have also seen no concrete proposals. The European Commission has said that it is still awaiting a report which should have been presented to it in 2015.
"We hope the government will adopt some of the proposals to lower the incidence of traffic until the next election."
Transport Shadow Minister Marthese Portelli said that the number of licensed vehicles has been steadily increasing since 1996.
Surveys show that 74 per cent of the Maltese often encounter problems when travelling and 97 per cent rank road congestion as an important challenge.
There needed to be a thorough study of commuter flow. Specific group movements (such as students etc) needed to be identified as well as an understanding of freight and goods movements.
There also needed to be an awareness raising campaign on commuters' possible contribution to reducing traffic congestion. Many people do not seem to know that, for instance, one should not drive slowly down a fast lane, Ms Portelli said.
Moreover, many people who filled in the bumper to bumper forms did so on site. The point behind the form was to remove one's vehicle out of the way, Ms Portelli continued.
People needed to be informed well in advance when roads were closed for maintenance. School transport services needed to be upgraded by imposing high standards for reliability, safety and supervision.
Dedicated transport routes could be operated to and from centres of concentration such as the Univeristy of Malta, Mcast and the Junior College. Dedicated routes ensured less stoppage time, enabling commuters to reach their destination quicker than if they used scheduled public transport.
Dedicated transport could also be located from strategic locations for public administration employees.
Ms Portelli stressed the need for a culture change in the use of private vehicles.
One could also implement a voluntary opt-in scheme, whereby car owners could opt to use their private car only on selected days and during particular times. Take up could be incentivised through schemes where owners, for instance, would have their car registration tax or licence fee reduced.
The use of motor-bikes, power-assisted bikes and bicycles could be encouraged. Additionally, new incentives could be introduced to encourage companies to organise or promote carpooling. Other incentives could encourage companies to opt out from using heavy vehicles and long vehicles on the roads at peak times.
Waste collection could be coordinated with local councils and contractors to ensure that collection took place when traffic was relatively quiet. Better garbage disposals could also be implemented, such as the introduction of planning requirements for garbage rooms for large blocks of buildings and flats for coordination of refuse collection.
A comprehensive study should be undertaken to properly establish the optimal size and design of roundabouts, Ms Portelli suggested.
Another measure revolved around identifying new suitable areas for more park and ride schemes.
Walk and ride schemes could also be introduced to promote the use of bicycles. The current bus routes could benefit from being reviewed to establish the optimisation of routes by offering a specific service from key points to Grand Harbour, Marsamxett and Sliema Ferry.
While it was commendable that the tender for adaptive traffic signals was issued, it was now imperative that the system went into operation without any further delay, Ms Portelli said.
However, one needed to move away from restrictive clusters. Why wasn't the Tal-Barrani cluster linked with the Marsa cluster, Ms Portelli questioned.
The settings of some traffic/pedestrian lights needed to be revised, as some lights took far too long to switch while other pedestrian lights would needlessly switch to red by themselves while there were no pedestrians waiting to cross.
Ms Portelli suggested the designation of an effective body to coordinate, manage and inform the public about roadworks. During peak traffic and rush hour, more traffic management officers should be deployed. Such officers should be trained in traffic management, she continued.
The authorities could also establish a major incidence response team for one-off incidents and emergencies that would otherwise form blockages on certain routes.
Services should be brought closer to the people. E-government and web based services for public use may be increased. The current teleworking framework needed to be revisited and updated to increase teleworking opportunities within the public service while ensuring full accountability.
Information technology offered endless possibilities to make transport more efficient and cost-effective. A web-based solution could be developed which offered a virtual centralised information network and a corresponding app for smart phone users, Ms Portelli said.