After seven months of accusations from the Opposition, we expected a lot more than what it is actually proposing in its short-term solutions for traffic congestion.
The report, a 30-page document with no costings and no deadlines, which was somehow leaked to the media from the PN headquarters last week, contains no new measures or initiatives but only actions which are currently ongoing, measures which have already been implemented or those we have planned.
I will not go into each and every proposal mentioned, because space is very limited here. I would rather focus on what is being done by this government.
But before doing that, I would like to ask one question of the leader of the Opposition. If he really believes that the Nationalist Party never shied away from challenging projects, what did it do for 25 years? The only pledge made in this study is that once in government, the Nationalist Party would launch a “strategy” to bring Malta’s traffic system into the 21st century.
The National Transport Strategy 2050, which Transport Malta is finalising and which it will be presenting to the EU before the end of the year, sets out the vision and strategic goals for the transport sector over the long-term, together with guiding principles that provide the basis for the sustainable development of each transport sub-sector (road, public transport, maritime and air transport) over the next programming periods.
There are over 100 proposed measures including studies, infrastructure works, operational improvements, as well as proposed policy, regulatory and institutional changes.
The leader of the Opposition has said that the increase in the number of car licences is the result of the achievements of the Nationalist government. What he did not say was that in spite of this rise in car ownership, very little was done to increase the capacity of the arterial and distributor road network.
The PN study was based on yet another study, ‘The External Cost of Passenger and Commercial Vehicle Use in Malta’, whose author chairs one of PN’s policy fora.
A lot of proposals mentioned in the PN report have already been implemented as part of the Budget measures for 2016
This was carried out when Malta had just seen a sharp increase in the number of newly licensed vehicles and a big shift away from the use of public transport due to the inefficient, ineffective and badly planned public transport reform of 2011.
In comparison, statistics today point to a steady and continuous rate of increase in the number of bus passengers and this shows that the services being introduced and the upgrades being made are attracting more and more passengers.
Another ambitious project, currently under test, is the Intelligent Traffic Management System. The aim of this project is to enable the remote real-time monitoring of the traffic situation through the use of cameras installed across the arterial and distributor road network at the most traffic-sensitive locations.
This will enable Transport Malta to interact with motorists by providing them with real-time data through messages uploaded on the Variable Message Signs already installed, through updates on the Transport Malta website, through radio bulletins and eventually through SMS updates.
The PN report merely mentions the public transport system. Between January and March this year, Malta Public Transport carried over nine million passengers, representing an encouraging 15 per cent increase over the same period last year.
A lot of proposals mentioned in the PN report have already been implemented as part of the Budget measures for 2016, such as encouraging the use of motorcycles.
Car pooling incentives are also already being adopted in the Bum-a-Lift scheme. Another incentive for car pooling was the introduction of the 3+ vehicle concept through bus lanes.
The report mentions the introduction of incentives to limit the use of heavy vehicles on arterial and distributor roads during peak times. This is already in discussion. Yes, there are different opinions, but again, this proposal has been copied.
Roundabouts and all other aspects of road infrastructural design and safety are already highly regulated through extensive design guidelines, best practice and specific EU directives.
The traffic light junctions and pelican crossings are continuously monitored, and where necessary, timings are adjusted according to the changes in demand.
Again, the PN is not yet aware that a Traffic Committee has been set up since the change in government in 2013. This committee brings together the entities responsible for the management of traffic. It coordinates road works and evaluates proposals for new traffic schemes or their upgrading.
A few proposals seem to make sense, such as free transport for all students and all government employees, but again, although substantial capital investment undoubtedly needs to be injected for them to be implemented, this is not quantified.
In conclusion, this report does not reflect the urgency that prompted the PN to prepare it.
Joe Mizzi is the Minister for Transport and Infrasctructure.