Elderly residents with mobility problems in Sliema will have the chance to drive free electric scooters to do their chores as part of a pilot project by a voluntary organisation.

Under the initiative, which kicks off in June, there will initially be a fleet of seven scooters which will be managed by Volunteer Sliema – a partnership between SOS Malta and the Corporate Citizenship for Responsible Enterprises (Core).

Details on the project were announced this morning in a press conference at the St James Hospital in Sliema, which together with the local council is also supporting the initiative.

SOS Malta CEO, Claudia Taylor Easter, said the project would require a volunteer network of about 20 to 30 persons who would take charge of the scooter bookings and delivery. The electric vehicles will be based at the St James Hospital and the plan is to increase the fleet further at a later stage.

Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop welcomed the initiative but acknowledged that parts of the locality were not very accessible both due to a lack of ramps as well as the narrow pavements. Consequently, he said that the council would seek the advice of Transport Malta whether in certain parts the speed limits would have to be lowered, but at the same time take measures to minimise traffic disruptions for motorists.

The pilot project is being partly funded by the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme with the Social Dialogue Ministry which is contributing €43,000.