Around 15 per cent of licenced cars on local roads are commercial vehicles. What is their burden on local roads, in terms of usage, pollution and congestion?

Unfortunately there is no data or studies that have over the years computed the overall contribution of commercial vehicles on the network, in terms of both pollution and congestion. Given the share of commercial vehicles in the total fleet, and their higher than average usage when compared to private vehicles, it’s safe to assume that the contribution of commercial vehicles to an already heavily polluted and congested network is high.

If one looks at the percentage share of traffic by heavy goods vehicles on the network, it ranges from 6.8 and 34 per cent of total traffic on our main roads. The wide range is of course dependent on location, with the highest being in Ċirkewwa with the movement of goods between the islands being the most probable reason for such high traffic.

Given the high levels of air and noise pollution recorded in proximity of our roads and the levels of congestion increasingly going beyond the peak hour, it’s important and very timely to study in more detail the volume, behaviour and contribution of commercial traffic on the transport system and the economy.

While private car transport can be made more sustainable through an effective public transport system, businesses cannot rely on public transport for their activities. What are their options to adopt greener solutions?

There are a number of measures and activities that businesses can look at integrating within their processes to reduce their carbon footprint.

These include green logistics, including more energy efficient business vehicles, effective fleet management and eco-driving training for drivers. Businesses should also consider drawing up a green travel plan for their employees: this would include various measures ranging from provision of public staff transport, parking management at the business location, benefits and schemes aimed at encouraging a mix of travel modes, and teleworking and teleconferencing facilities.

These could, and should really, be part of businesses’ corporate social responsibility efforts.

Does the local infrastructure support the adoption of green fleets?

Demo EV, an EU LIFE+ project managed by the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure, is currently looking at the use of electric vehicles and their performance within the local context, and using existing charging infrastructure recently completed through the same project. Initial results are very promising, as published by one of the businesses testing the vehicles earlier in June this year.

I have no doubt about the potential of green fleets in our small island. Then again, rather than blanket measures, I would advise businesses to consider a mix of options for the management of their fleets. If not all vehicles can be fully green, then a review would show how many can be electric and how many can reduce their CO2 contribution through a newer and more efficient engine with higher EURO emission standards.

Green fleets also reflect better management. In terms of logistics and movement of goods, we are very far from using efficient distribution networks, as individual businesses distribute only their goods, rather then use logistics businesses that can integrate deliveries and reduce the number of vehicles delivering small parcels in one location. I take the example of Valletta, and the potential impact of a logistics hub that coordinates the delivery of goods into Valletta, and reduce the already high 12 per cent of morning traffic in St Anne Street in Floriana, made up of heavy goods vehicles.

What would a corporate green travel plan entail?

There are a series of steps that lead to the establishment and monitoring of a corporate green travel plan. First, a business needs to identify a green travel plan coordinator within the business who has leadership and research skills. Then, a survey would need to be carried out among employees to establish their travel patterns and willingness to change. Based on the results of the survey, a list of actions and targets would be proposed, intended to encourage a mix of travel modes for employees.

The green travel plan coordinator should coordinate the actions and provide all the necessary support for employees to change their travel behaviour. Award schemes and employee benefits should be used to help the GTP coordinator deliver the change. Performance would then be monitored through feedback or regular surveys – findings and achievements should then be reported and publicised.

Do geographic information systems play a role in green travel solutions for businesses?

In some instances GIS solutions can play a significant role. This depends on the type and size of operations which are employed in the business. Tasks such as fleet management, routing and fleet monitoring are among the functionalities of a GIS that would be particularly useful to businesses that engage in goods distribution. Vehicle tracking is also an important technology, which when used with GIS can give substantial savings for the monitoring of any type of vehicle fleets.

Are there local businesses that have adopted green travel plans for their activities? If yes, have the results been positive?

I’m not aware of any local businesses that have adopted fully fletched green travel plans for their business. I know about initiatives to upgrade fleets and improve routing – however very few consolidated efforts have been made to reduce the burden of transport by businesses.

On the other hand, since 2010 the University of Malta has had a green travel plan in place and has coordinated a number of activities to promote a mix of travel modes. Efforts have mainly gone into the promotion of public transport, the improvement of infrastructure for cycling and walking, raising awareness, providing custom travel information and participation in activities organised on campus and outside. There has been a degree of success in our efforts, particularly with cycling. Later this year, a full report will be issued on the performance of the first three years of the green travel plan at the university.

Further efforts however will have to be made to decrease the dependence on the car and instil a culture change. Even a small change by staff or students to try alternative modes once a week would be a big achievement. And with the continued effort of the green travel plan coordinator, and the help from the University Students’ Council, I’m confident that more can be achieved.

Does the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development assist businesses in drawing up green travel plans?

The Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development is responsible for the green travel plan at the University of Malta. It has the expertise and necessary experience in this area with practical measures being tried and tested. The institute could assist businesses to draw up green travel plans and support them in their efforts to reduce the burden of transport on the environment and public health.

Professor Maria Attard is a senior lecturer at the Department of Geography and is the director of the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the University of Malta.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.