Sliema and Cospicua are getting underground car parks to encourage ferry use, Clyde Caruana announced during Monday’s budget speech.

He did not specify when the projects will be completed, but said the government also plans to increase ferry routes.

“There is ongoing preparatory work for an underground car park project close to the ferry zones and we are strengthening the infrastructure of the quays in the Grand Harbour and Deep Water Quay," the Finance Minister said.

It is part of the government’s broader effort to encourage ferry usage and shift commuters from the roads to the sea.

In a recent interview with Times of Malta, Transport Minister Chris Bonett highlighted the sea as Malta's most underutilised resource.

He said that when the government began offering free ferry services last year, public uptake surged, demonstrating the importance of investment in sea transport.

'24-hour economy'

On Monday the Finance Minister also said the government plans to push for a round-the-clock economy to ease congestion.

This would mean public and private services, deliveries and roadworks are shifted to operate out of rush hours and during the night.

On Sunday, Times of Malta reported the government is about to propose measures aimed at improving coordination of roadworks, tackling parking, pushing for more off-peak services, improving public transport, addressing the number of cars on the road and increasing sustainable mobility.

The proposals also include the introduction of park-and-ride systems in some of the worst traffic hot spots, and the introduction of incentives to encourage people to give up their driving licence and young people to refrain from getting their licence in the first place.

Caruana also said the government would be adjusting bus routes to reflect modern commuting patterns.