ADPD highlights need for serious planning to reduce car use
Chairperson of ADPD – The Green Party, Sandra Gauci, has highlighted the need to promote alternative means of transport, including transport by sea, with the aim of reducing the use of private cars.
She addressed the press conference together with ADPD activist, Axel Grima, after taking the traditional water taxi from Vittoriosa to Valletta on Sunday morning.
ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that: “Traffic has become a scourge that we have to experience daily at all times. This is due to many reasons - the number of cars in Malta is excessive and there seems to be no will from the Government to curb these numbers. On the other hand, there is also poor planning that we have to deal with on a daily basis, with road closures and a lack of practical and creative solutions. Sea transport can help reduce road traffic; although we already make use of it, we need to continue to strengthen it in a sustainable manner and incentivize this form of transport. Regulated services, such as the scheduled transport between Tas-Sliema and Marsamxett through public service obligation contracts should be expanded. Obligations and standards should require the use of modern, low-emission vessels, amongst other things.
Possible ferry routes are services between St Paul’s Bay and Sliema and Valletta, and services connecting Valletta, Marsascala, Birżebbuġa, Sliema and Valletta.”
“We are confident that a modern ferry system has a huge potential to reduce traffic and cars on the roads. Traditional boatsman - barklori - can offer niche services. With some creativity a solution can be found for them too. Mass scheduled public transport by sea has a different target and market - the movement of large numbers of people from one point to another in the most efficient way possible.”
“The ‘improvement’ in our infrastructure is often not an improvement at all because it only promotes the use of private vehicles. It should be noted that more new cars are being registered every year than children are being born in Malta! All these cars are reducing our quality of life much more than some people are willing to admit. Cars are a major source of air pollution. Traffic and congestion are robbing us more and more of the little time we have left after a day’s work. It hardly spares us time to enjoy our family and children, and it has become difficult to find time for ourselves and to meet friends”, concluded Gauci.
ADPD activist, Axel Grima, said that : “There is an urgent need to curb our dependence on private vehicles, with a holistic plan that covers a number of strategies. Investment in infrastructure should make our roads more bus friendly, which should include the creation of more bus lanes and investment in a Bus Rapid Transit System. So those who choose to use public transport will enjoy an efficient service, and with fewer cars on the roads, those who choose to use their private vehicle would experience less congestion”.
“The pedestrianisation of squares and roads in our towns and villages is a means to disincentivize the use of cars, thus reducing congestion. Parking for non-residents in the locality may be restricted in order to achieve this goal. It is good to offer incentives such as grants for the purchase of bicycles, both electric and nonelectric, which in my opinion are more suitable for an island like Malta. Moreover, more trees on our roads can provide shelter from the heat of the sun and facilitate the use of bicycles”, Grima said.