The government aims to ease congestion on main roads during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Firms may face problems if plans to ban large commercial vehicles from roads during rush hour traffic go ahead, the Nationalist Party transport spokesman warns.

Toni Bezzina said the feedback he had received from several sectors that could potentially be affected by such a decision portrayed a bleak picture.

“This prohibition could lead employees in certain sectors being placed on a reduced-hours schedule and in some instances even render businesses less productive or, in extreme cases, non-viable,” Mr Bezzina said when asked to elaborate on comments he made last week during the PN general council.

Transport Malta is studying the proposal, which will help ease traffic congestion on main roads during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

A commitment to this effect was also made in the Budget speech with the Finance Minister framing the proposal as one aimed at enhancing economic efficiency by cutting time wasted in traffic jams.

It is crucial that productivity and competitiveness are kept at the heart of all decisions taken in this sector

But Mr Bezzina, an architect, believes the proposal may create particular problems for construction workers.

“Though I will support good proposals aimed at reducing traffic congestion problems around the island, I personally believe it is crucial that productivity and competitiveness are kept at the heart of all decisions taken in this sector,” he said.

In September last year, when announcing Car Free Day, then environment minister Mario de Marco had floated the suggestion of banning commercial vehicles at certain times from roads that suffer traffic congestion and resultant air pollution.

He had said the environment ministry was studying the impact of commercial vehicles in traffic-heavy areas to see if introducing time frames for them to use busy roads would be feasible and beneficial.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com