Cyclists are calling on the authorities to increase the number of bicycle racks and introduce rules that ban other road users from obstructing them.
While the number of people braving Malta’s roads on a bicycle is increasing, it is often impossible for some to find a rack to lock their bike onto once they reach their destination.
Jim Wightman, from the Bicycling Advocacy Group, said local data clearly indicated a steady increase in cycling’s modal share over the last three years.
The shift is good news for car drivers, as it helps to ease up traffic flow. In a country where the average car trip is just 5.2km long, bicycles can turn this into a 20-minute breeze, he noted.
However, finding a rack to park their bike is one of the cyclists’ main headaches, and the issue was even identified in a national consultation meeting for commuting cyclists.
To add insult to injury, cyclists who recently went to lock their ride to the racks by the Love monument in St Julian’s found that the cycling stand was doubling up as a support for a hawker’s display table.
While the law is very clear on not obstructing car parking spaces, it is not at all clear when it comes to bicycle parking infrastructures, Mr Whiteman said.
Meanwhile, a cyclist who recently locked his bike to an electricity pole in San Ġwann found a notice from the locality’s police station informing him that the bicycle was causing an inconvenience to pedestrians.
Considering these recent incidents, the advocacy group reiterated its call for more bicycle racks. If a footpath is too narrow to accommodate bike stands, the authorities could replace one parking space for cars with a bicycle rack catering for 20 bikes – in turn potentially reducing the need for 19 car parking spaces. However, security is one of the main complaints when it comes to such racks. Bike theft is becoming a growing problem, particularly when people are shopping, but also when their bikes are locked to racks like the ones next to the Love monument in St Julian’s.
Mr Wightman added that local councils seem slow to react. While some councils, like that of Sliema, installed new racks, things have not changed much in many localities.
The transport authorities were asked about any plans to increase the number of bicycle racks and enact laws to protect them from being obstructed.
Instead, a spokeswoman for the Transport Ministry said that the locations chosen for the existing cycle racks were safe, unobstructed by parked vehicles and usually inaccessible to motor vehicles, such as on promenades, wide footways and piazzas.
“If there are locations with issues of vehicle obstruction, BAG may liaise directly with the Transport Ministry and Transport Malta to address the problem.”
The spokeswoman added that TM has carried out a public consultation exercise (which came to an end in July) on a National Transport Strategy and a Transport Master Plan with a time horizon of 2025. The document includes measures and initiatives that once implemented will further facilitate walking and cycling.