Alternattiva Demokratika on Saturday called for a transport reform to improve air quality, after pollution levels dropped drastically as traffic decreased due to the current virus outbreak. 

In a statement, the Green Party said road transport was a major contributor to air pollution according Malta’s National Air Pollution Control Plan. 

Nevertheless, it said, both Nationalist and Labour governments had consistently resisted calls for transport reform and only implemented measures targeting the energy sector. 

AD said this approach was shortsighted and ignored the elephant in the room. 

"We cannot continue taking road traffic for granted. Solutions do exist, but we need to have the courage to move forward with them. We need a new normal, where we focus on preventing illness rather than curing it. This approach is essential as it will not only save lives, but also save money," party spokesperson and secretary general Ralph Cassar said. 

“The solutions are two-fold: both incentives and disincentives are required. Sustainable travel modes like bicycles and pedelecs need adequate safe infrastructure all across the Maltese Islands, whereas public transport needs many more bus lanes, and much more investment to further increase routes. A Bus Rapid Transit system is a must.”

Cassar said the party was opposed to further road widening as it was destructive from a land-use perspective as well as counter-productive in encouraging people to drive and emit more pollution. 

Rather, he said, the party supported low-emission zones along with restricting traffic in village centres, measures that had been successfully tested in several European towns and cities, where air quality had improved and new life brought to urban centres.