Concerning the continuing upward spiral of the number of cars on the road, one thing the Government might consider is to abolish the circulation tax on vehicles and place an extra tax on fuel to compensate for lost revenue.

This would have a double bonus. It would make those who make heavy use of the roads contribute more towards their upkeep (which is, sadly, lacking in both Malta and Gozo) and also make the drivers pay for miles covered instead of laying out a yearly sum and then being bullied by environmentalists to “leave the car at home”.

If the fixed costs of owning a car for use on the road could be reduced to a minimum, then people may be encouraged to leave the car at home but in the present circumstances the high upfront cost make car users see it as a ‘use it or lose it’ situation. If drivers saw that their costs could be reduced by less car use then there may be popular consensus toward alternatives, such as more use of public transport or non polluting travel.

By making the motorist a ‘cash cow’ for the Government, the driver is going to use the car because ownership is just too costly to leave the car in the garage.

Perhaps we should start to think of other ways besides ‘tax the motorist in every way we can’ and actually encourage more environmentally-friendly travel with a cash in pocket advantage

Of course, a ‘fit for purpose’ public transport system is a prerequisite for any attempt to woo drivers away from their cars. The current system instigated by the previous Administration is woefully inadequate and a truly unpleasant experience to endure. The buses are not yet two years old and are already showing signs of not lasting long in the Maltese environment. I am a mechanical engineer and know what I am talking about when I say that, based on my experiences of Arriva this last year, all of the vehicles I rode on had serious lack of maintenance to the suspension bashing. One might be forgiven for thinking that there was someone trapped under the bus and was using a hammer to attract attention.

I invite those responsible for the bus operations to get out and take a ride on the busses and see how many have suspension defects. A quality service needs quality management from top to bottom.