PN: Proper planning, not piecemeal announcements, needed to solve traffic issues
Ministerial announcements are not backed by proper studies, PN MPs say
Malta needs a long-term strategy to address traffic and transport issues, rather than the current unplanned and piecemeal announcements being thrown out by the government, Mark Anthony Sammut, shadow minister for transport, said on Wednesday.
He was speaking during a press conference held at the busy Aldo Moro Road in Marsa, alongside the shadow minister for the infrastructure Joseph Giglio.
They noted that over recent months, Transport Minister Chris Bonett announced a series of measures aimed at tackling the traffic crisis. Some of these were meant to be implemented by the end of June but, as the minister himself confirmed, they "got stuck in traffic."
Among these initiatives were a park-and-ride project in several localities, and a proposal to offer €25,000 to individuals who surrender their driving licence for five years.
However, the minister had earlier this week revealed that the latter initiative had not yet progressed and the government had yet to finalise which demographic it would target first.
Sammut said the initiative had been announced before proper studies and costings were made.
“No deadlines have been met. This was launched without proper studies or costing,” Sammut said.
He recalled that less than a month ago, the minister also went into reverse gear over plans to raise the threshold for vintage car classification by five years to 35.
Similarly, a proposed ferry service to Buġibba, promised for summer, had still not materialised, with June now over.
“This government is not following a clear plan, it is managing by crisis,” he said, also pointing to massive inconvenience caused by simultaneous, uncoordinated roadworks in areas such as Ċirkewwa, St Paul’s Bay, Golden Bay and St Julian’s.
He argued that this reflected a basic lack of traffic management.
Giglio echoed the sentiment, accusing the government of selling propaganda rather than delivering real results.
“Despite all the announcements, the impact on the roads has not matched the minister’s claims,” he said.
“All we need to do is look around us every day. There is confusion, a sense of crisis management. Even the announcement of a new Transport Malta unit to investigate traffic accidents - when this function already exists within the police – shows lack of planning,” he said.