The Ministry of Transport is failing us. Not only is it not providing solutions for non-drivers (who make up half of the population) but it also makes conditions worse for existing drivers, many of whom are forced into driving for lack of better options. 

The average Maltese citizen commutes 5.5km* every day. Given that the road conditions are (particularly) dreadful for walking or cycling, the public is forced to use private vehicles. Everyone is therefore obliged to buy a vehicle and inevitably taxi friends and relatives around the island. This makes people waste more of their valuable time in traffic or looking for parking spaces even when the distance (and terrain) could potentially be perfect for walking or cycling.

Providing transport options outside the realms of the bypasses could solve these issues. Anyone who has cycled on a cycle path along the seafront or walked down a leafy street on a summer’s day knows the pleasures of alternate modes of transport. Being stuck in traffic on a smoggy dual-carriageway is a stressful and unpleasant experience for most people, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Transport Malta should look to the future and modernise just as the majority of European cities have successfully managed to do.

In Malta, those without a license or vehicle and the under-aged are particularly dependent on family members and friends to get to their destinations. Consequently, those providing rides are doing extra trips and creating more congestion for everyone and wasting more of their time. 

Despite the above observations Transport Malta considers alternative transport planning projects of secondary importance and have delayed meaningful actions in their Transport Master Plan 2025* despite publishing data that indicates increasing motor use will worsen overall conditions. Projects that could potentially provide alternatives to private motor use have been delayed until 2020-2025 and pilot projects scheduled for 2016 have not even been assigned to industry professionals. 

 "When you plan for the car, you fail everyone. Plan for people and you improve conditions for all, including car drivers." - Brent Toderian

 We want Transport Malta and the Ministry of Transport to show preparedness and dedication to sustainable transport projects listed in the Transport Master Plan 2025 and execute them at the highest possible priority. Among our asks:

- Employ and assign project management to a dedicated full time urban planner/designer who has higher education/experience in improving walkability and access to public transport.

- Employ and assign project management to a dedicated full time transport planner who has higher education/experience in cycling as transport. 

- Provide necessary resources to ensure these managers can execute Transport Malta’s alternative transport projects at the earliest possible phase, even if it is at the cost of reallocating resources from private motor vehicles in order to better reflect the needs of the entire population, which will in the long run ease congestion and improve transport conditions for everyone, including drivers!

*http://www.transport.gov.mt/transport-strategies/strategies-policies-actions/national-transport-strategy-and-master-plan