Malta is developing at a record pace. We’ve got colossal high-rise and residential developments proposed in Mrieħel, Gżira, Kalkara and Naxxar. Since the Maltese have no real viable option but to drive everywhere, it goes without saying that these localities will become packed with cars.

One could argue that congestion is part and parcel of these massive developments but the real problem lies in the transportation infrastructure; just imagine the daily car influx into these towns and the space required to park them.

You could argue that the flyovers in Kappara and eventually Marsa will be a solution, but in reality, these projects are just buying time and delaying ‘gridlock’ by a few more years. In a situation where over 1.2 cars are added per hour onto the Maltese road network (already one of the world’s densest), potential solutions must be targeted towards curbing car use and mass transit.

What is needed first and foremost is a transportation infrastructure such as tram lines, dedicated bus lanes, bus stations or tunnels. Ideally, such an infrastructure should be designed before such developments are put to the drawing board. Without prior transportation planning, we are destined to repeat and exacerbate the same mistakes which have led to congestion, pollution, overspill parking, a danger to pedestrians and record levels of car dependency.

Malta’s construction boom is developing at a rate akin to many ‘cosmopolitan’ cities, albeit without the transportation infrastructure to complement it. Towns like St Julian’s, Sliema and Gżira already have a higher average population density than cities such as Berlin, Tokyo or London.

Unless mass transportation is not considered prior to these developments, the country will rapidly descend into stationary congestion and a poor quality of life.