Let’s face it. There’s no way we can overcome the difficulties on our roads with single, one-off actions, regardless of how extensive or drastic they may be.

As we launch our long-term plan to ease the pressures of an ever-increasing number of users in our country’s road network, I am encouraged by the multitude of ideas and solutions put forward by drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, residents, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, civil engineers and many other individuals genuinely interested in improving the situation.

Every idea, every effort, no matter how small, helps us achieve this objective, as long as it is considered and implemented within the framework of a comprehensive, future-proof plan.

We are insisting that the upgrading of our transport sector must continually recognise that the infrastructural requirements of Malta’s social and economic developments are constantly changing.

To adequately meet these requirements, we need an ongoing, multipronged commitment through short-, medium- and long-term investments.

The large-scale projects that Malta has long been debating are essential for us to catch up with the country’s development in other sectors, while providing for future requirements. However, they cannot be implemented overnight, and in the meantime, we still need to get to our destinations. The prospect of big solutions in a few years’ time will not make our commute today any easier.

A few days after the June 3 election, I asked Transport Malta to identify improvements that we can implement without further delay. By reorganising existing resources, within a few weeks we started upgrading a number of major junctions to ease traffic flows and increase road safety.

Works at Lija, Qormi, Paola, Gudja and Mosta are under way, some nearing completion. In other localities, we focused on roads that had fallen into disrepair and needed extensive maintenance. That’s what we are doing, for example, at Triq Bontadini in Birkirkara, Triq Birkirkara in Attard and Triq tas-Sejba, Mqabba.

At the same time, we also intensified our commitment to other medium- and long-term projects, some of which are already in progress. We issued public calls to select contractors to begin other major projects, including the rebuilding of Triq Bormla in Żabbar, the widening of Triq Buqana at Rabat and the upgrading of part of the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass.

Our studies and planning for the development of a rapid mass transport system are well under way

At the moment, we are also finalising plans to ease the impact of traffic on the residents of Attard, Balzan and Birkirkara, while introducing new routes to those who currently drive through these localities to reach their destinations. We aim to implement this solution in 2018.

We are now in the final phases of the Kappara junction project. At the same time, we are on track to start works on the new flyover at the Marsa junction next to the Addolorata Cemetery within a few months.

Here, we recognised that since the original plans were drafted a few years ago, the requirements of road users continued to develop. We’re now looking into extending this investment to anticipate difficulties that are expected in other nearby junctions. We are evaluating ways to increase the return of this massive investment, partly funded by the EU, without delaying the commencement of works on site.

However, the ongoing upgrading of our road network to increase safety and efficiency is not enough to secure environmentally and financially sustainable transport systems. This is why we are also embarking on commitments for a long-term paradigm shift in local transportation.

Some of the existing negative environmental impacts can be mitigated through increased incentives to shift to low-emission travel.

In this regard, I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement that Malta will follow in the footsteps of other EU countries in phasing out new petrol and diesel vehicles in the next few decades.

The Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects will spearhead this process to identify the best way forward, guide families and businesses in this direction and prepare our country’s infrastructure for this historic environmental development in the Maltese Islands.

Our studies and planning for the development of a rapid mass transport system are well under way as well.

We will soon be in a position to launch technical discussions and consultations to determine the final way forward for the implementation of this long-awaited, alternative mode of travel. We need to gradually adjust to this development by continuing to encourage more commuters to use alternative modes of transport.

This is why our plans also include further improvements to the existing public transport system, incentives to reduce the use of private cars and increased facilities for other systems that are already available.

The government is committed to an unprecedented investment in our transport infrastructure.

I am confident that we will continue collaborating with families, businesses and other stakeholders to maintain this momentum and achieve the sustainable solutions that our country deserves.

The roads ahead are brimming with opportunities.

Ian Borg is the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects.

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