Malta's roads are the second most congested in the world, study finds

Malta's roads have been ranked the second most congested in the world and the most gridlocked in Europe, according to a report from a leading satellite navigation company.  

With an average congestion level of just over 45%, Malta ranked second in TomTom’s Annual Traffic Index covering last year. 

The result put Malta just under four percentage points less congested than Colombia, the most gridlocked country worldwide, and with more traffic woes than developing economies such as India and Mexico.  

Malta was also significantly more congested than the rest of Europe, with Greece and Ireland in second and third regional places, respectively, scoring 31%. 

Compared to the preceding year, traffic in Valletta – the only Maltese city included in the study – worsened by just under two percentage points, rising to an average congestion level of almost 51% and around 80% during the morning and evening rush hours. 

The average speed for driving in the capital was almost 26km/h, with motorists able to cover just under 7km in 15 minutes, a figure that dropped to over 5km during rush hour.  

TomTom concluded that motorists in Malta’s capital lost a staggering 94 hours – equivalent to three days and 22 hours – to rush hour traffic last year. 

The company noted that the worst day of last year for traffic was Monday, October 13, when the capital hit almost complete gridlock as average congestion surged to 98%, peaking at 182% by 2pm. That day, motorists travelled a meagre 3.3km every 15 mins. 

October was the worst month for traffic overall. 

While not providing a detailed analysis for Malta, the country’s conspicuous lack of high-speed highways in the results suggests this could have contributed to the country’s unusually high ranking.  

As of just before 8pm on Friday, live traffic data provided by the company put congestion at 56% with 29 traffic jams spanning just under 14km.

Responding to the results, the Opposition Nationalist Party said in a statement that it was “clear that no matter how many new roads are built, traffic continues to worsen rather than ease”.

It added that PN leader Alex Borg had been pushing for cross-party discussions to introduce a mass transport system to alleviate traffic.

“This problem is having serious effects on people’s mental health and their lives,” the PN said, pointing to a 2023 University of Malta study published by the Faculty of Social Wellbeing, which painted a bleak picture of the impact of traffic on motorists.  

More than two-fifths (almost 45%) of respondents agreed that traffic affected their mood for the rest of the day, while almost seven out of 10 (68%) said they “waste a lot of time in traffic which could be put to better use”.  

Over two-fifths of respondents said they would prefer not to use their car if public transport were more reliable.

The PN also highlighted the findings of a new transport master plan, warning that traffic congestion is set to cost Malta €770 million this year, rising to €917 million by 2030. 

“A solution to traffic means more time for Maltese and Gozitans with their loved ones, less stress, less anxiety, fewer mental and respiratory illnesses, and an overall better quality of life”, the party said.

“The time has come for the Government to bury its head in the sand no longer and admit that its solutions have solved nothing.”

By the end of September, the number of cars in Malta had risen to 454,000 – the highest levels seen since at least 2022. Almost 3,700 cars were added to the roads during the third quarter of last year.