Conclusions on survey of transport in Malta

This study has addressed a few of the myriad issues related to transport in Malta. Public transport received major attention since it somehow affects the large majority of people in Malta. Other aspects like car-free day, the use of large trucks to carry construction material and ways to curb traffic were also addressed.

This study shows that as many as 51% unhesitatingly considered 'car-free day' to have been a flop. Only 34% considered it a success, while the remaining 15% preferred not to commit themselves. Slightly more males than females (52.4% vs. 49.7%) gave a negative judgment. Among the socio-economic groups, the highest negative judgment was registered among AB members, at 65.7%.

That the public transport system is not serving the community adequately is more than sharply demonstrated by this study. As many as 45.7% unequivocally stated that they are not well served by the public transport system; 42.3% said that they are well served while the remaining 12% did not feel that they could not give a definite answer.

Least satisfied are persons in the 36-50 age group (49.4%), followed by those in the 26-35 age group (49%) and those aged 16-25 (43.8%). On the other hand, the highest level of satisfaction was registered by persons in 65+ age group (52.2%), followed by those aged 16-25 (45.8%).

Females are less satisfied than males (48.4% females vs. 42.9% males). C1, the socio-economic group with the largest number of persons in the population emerged as the least satisfied group, at 52.9%. As such, it can be stated that there is widespread discontent among the group that could offer the greatest potential patronage for public transport.

Significantly too, even readers of Il-Mument only, hence generally Nationalist supporters, registered relatively high levels of discontent about the service (35.3%); 52.3% of readers of The Sunday Times are not happy with the system; as are 66.7% of the readers of The Malta Independent on Sunday and 55.2% of readers of KullHadd/It-Torca.

Respondents were obviously asked to give reasons for their answers. Bus frequency was the most commonly given reason by those who consider themselves well served by the system. This was followed by 29.9% stating that their area is well served and 22.8% that buses are punctual. Other reasons given were: buses are well kept (11%); buses are cheap (8.7%); buses relieve me of parking problems (5.5%); bus drivers are well mannered (4.7%); new buses are comfortable (2.4%); I have no car (3.9%); buses are very convenient to travel to Valletta (1.6%); buses are pushchair-friendly (0.8%); and buses help me to avoid the traffic (0.8%). The percentages add up to more than 100% because more than one reason could be given.

The most common complaints about public transport are very strongly voiced among the large section of the population who are dissatisfied with the service. The two major complaints regard regularity and punctuality. As many as 49.6% complain about the irregularity of the service and another 42.3% about the lack of punctuality. Yet another reason given by 30.7% of this section of the population is that bus drivers are arrogant.

The other reasons given were: buses do not serve my area (13.9%); buses are dirty (16.1%); buses are expensive (3.6%); drivers do not stop when flagged (2.9%); drivers are bad mannered (0.7%); buses produce pollution with their exhaust fumes (0.7%); buses are not wheelchair/ pushchair-friendly (0.7%); buses have no reserved seating for the elderly (0.7%); and buses are very hot in summer (0.7%).

From these figures it appears that public transport is currently failing to meet the needs of a substantial section of the population because it lacks the salient attributes which should characterise a good system.

The Maltese are not happy with the current state of affairs and expect change. Just under half of the population unequivocally state that the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) is not doing anything to improve the public transport system; 35.7% think it is doing something while the remaining 15% confess that they do not know what the ADT is doing. It is indeed very striking that the perception that this public body is not doing anything is so widespread among the different sections of the population.

In an attempt to provide an element of data for the ADT to move forward, this study sought to elicit from the Maltese population what they expect from the ADT to do and is not currently doing. This question was asked to all, irrespective of whether they think that the ADT is currently doing or not doing anything to improve the public transport system.

It is clear from the unprompted list of expectations listed by the Maltese that the population at large have understood the regulatory role of the ADT. Many are practically saying that it has abdicated its role. The management of monitoring of bus schedules has always been the role of the Authority, but is now being left in the hands of the service provider as a matter of policy, something which almost a fifth of the total Maltese population have intuitively perceived and are against.

The creation of routes is also considered a prerogative of the regulatory body by more than one-fifth of the Maltese, and although a lot has been announced in recent months, the situation has remained the same and the population remains not well served.

More forcefully emphasised by respondents is the necessity to change the work ethic through the education of the drivers: 46.3% expect the ADT to aggressively engage in this activity. The fact that so many spontaneously brought up this 'duty' is a clear indication that any efforts made by the ADT to date have had very little effect and immediate action is required to built a new interface between the commuter/customer and the service provider.

Other important recommendations were made but in the minds of the Maltese planning, monitoring and education appear to be the foremost responsibilities which the ADT should be shouldering and is not properly doing at present as far as public transport is concerned.

Since it is often said that Maltese public transport is cheap, this study sought to collect information on this important aspect from the Maltese themselves. In fact only 17.3% actually consider current bus fares to be cheap. Just under one-fifth consider them expensive while the remaining 62.7% consider them well-priced. This suggests that an increase in price is bound to negatively affect more than 83% of the population and if not associated with tangibly better value for money is likely to push patronage further away from public transport.

It is highly significant that as many as 28.3% members of the DE socio-economic group and 24% of the C2 consider current bus fares expensive, compared to only 8.6% of the AB socio-economic group. C1 and DE are the poorest components of Maltese society and fare increases will affect them significantly.

The use of public transport is not considered the better option by as many as 75%. The overwhelming majority unequivocally declared that they constantly prefer the use of a car to public transport and gave these reasons for doing so: going by car is quicker (76.9%); one definitely gets to one's destination (18.7%); buses do not serve my area (13.8%); the car is actually cheaper (6.7%); buses are dirty (6.2%); drivers are arrogant (4.9%); and not all buses take pushchairs (1.8%).

These reasons capture why public transport is constantly losing market share. The inefficiency of the system is very obvious in these unprompted replies. It would appear that the ADT needs to develop policies that meet customer requirements and introduce work practices that are more consonant with current market demands.

Another issue addressed by this study is the cost of private cars in Malta. Those taking part in this study were asked whether they thought it fair that now that Malta is in the EU they should pay the highest prices for cars in Europe and that the cost of cars is not realigned to what cars cost in other EU member states. In view of the lower earnings of the Maltese, the cost of cars in Malta effectively constitutes a much larger share of a person's wage or salary than that of his/her European counterpart. As many as 85.3% are not happy with the situation and clearly consider the current situation as grossly anomalous; 5% stated that they do not mind that the cost of cars in Malta is the highest in the EU while the remaining 9.7% did not commit themselves.

As part of this study too, respondents were asked what they would do if the use of private cars were to be banned on alternate days, as is the case in certain times of the year in some European centres in which cars with odd and even numbers are not allowed to be used on the same day of the week.

As many as 60% said that in this event they would have no option but to use the buses; 8,7% stated that they would purchase a second car with a number plate that would allow them to use a car throughout the whole week, while the remaining 12.3% said that they cannot say now what they would do. As many as 19% said that they would defy the law somehow and still use their one car.

The general reaction to this question, even among those who said that they would have to use buses was that this would be 'ridiculous' and 'unfair with the poor'. The truth of the latter comment is actually proved by the figures obtained for the option of purchasing a second car. Of those who said that they would do so, 19.2% belong to the AB socio-economic group, most of whom already have a second car anyway; 50% belong to the C1 group; 23.1% belong to C2 and only 7.7% belong to the DE. The discriminatory effect of such a measure, should it ever be introduced, is all too obvious.

The last question focused on the use of second-hand imported large and old trucks carrying construction material that have become so frequent on Malta's road network. Respondents were asked whether they agreed that the Government should allow these trucks to operate on Malta's roads. As many as 64.3% say that the use of such trucks should not be allowed; 29.7% say that they should, often adding that they should be in good condition and covered or sealed; while 6% did not commit themselves.