It is one of the few happy side effects of the COVID-19 lockdown. As traffic has been reduced, the toxic air pollution on Malta’s roads and towns that has long swirled has lifted. More encouragingly, the sight of empty open spaces has sparked a new government initiative inspired by the empty squares and streets in Malta’s towns and villages happily bereft of cars.
The initiative is for the government to work with local councils for these welcome open spaces to become car-free zones at certain times of the day, or even permanently. Traffic will be diverted during those periods when these defined open spaces will be only accessible to pedestrians, thus cutting down pollution and injecting new life into these localities.
It was an Archimedes moment for Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg. As he remarked when launching the initiative: “We saw empty squares and streets… without cars, and we learned to appreciate the beauty.”
With the support of Local Government Minister José Herrera, local councils interested in taking part in the initiative will be able to register their interest with the Local Councils Association, which is coordinating the project. It is in the interests of local councils to participate as the Infrastructure Ministry will then embellish council areas of those that sign up to join the project.
This is a small but significant move towards a culture of pedestrianisation which puts people before cars. It is a most welcome step.
But there is scope to be more ambitious. In London, for instance, the mayor has signalled a long-term shift away from the car with plans for a new programme of traffic-free roads, dedicated cycle lanes and wider pavements to be introduced to promote ‘green travel’. The process of ‘repurposing’ London’s streets to allow more people to exercise and travel on foot or by bicycle is being extended.
New York, Paris and Milan have taken similar initiatives to take space away from cars in favour of cyclists and pedestrians amid growing support to make cities more friendly in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Changes will include closing streets altogether to vehicles, using plant containers or bollards. Valletta has already done this to an extent. But this is the opportunity for Malta to be more ambitious. There is little justification for Valletta, like Mdina, not to be a pedestrian-only city (with residents being allowed a permanent parking space per household).
The size of the capital makes walking a perfectly feasible (and healthy) option. The imminent completion of the car park at Triton Square makes this a timely opportunity to act by pedestrianising Valletta. The consequent cleaner air in the capital will benefit citizens as well as protecting its historic buildings. Valletta should set the example.
Similar initiatives can be taken in other towns. The Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development has established that some 14 per cent of all trips done by car are carried out in the same locality.
Many of these trips are short and could easily be done on foot. The establishment of traffic-free zones in towns or villages will encourage people to walk in streets free of pollution and in an urban environment that is quieter, safer and more pleasant – as the country has discovered in the last few weeks of lockdown.
This is a critical opportunity. It must be seized to change the way we live for the better.