Updated 1.26pm with PN statement.
Malta’s traffic woes are now the country’s biggest problem, according to a new Times of Malta poll, narrowly edging out other concerns such as the cost of living, over-construction and corruption.
The poll finds that when asked to name Malta’s biggest problem, 28% of respondents pointed to the country’s ongoing struggle with traffic, parking and public transport.
This is the first time that traffic tops the list, which was typically been the domain of cost of living concerns in recent years.
Traffic is also mentioned as one of the top concerns for individuals, with 15% saying that it is the issue that troubles them most on an individual basis.
The findings come as the government mulls the introduction of a host of measures aimed at cutting down on congestion. But recent data suggests that transport minister Chris Bonett has his work cut out, with 27 new vehicles being added to Malta’s roads each day.
Cost of living worries dip but still linger
Despite the dip in inflation over the past year, with Europe’s cost-of-living crisis seemingly in the rearview mirror, the poll suggests that cost of living remains a major concern for many people.
Cost of living is listed as the country’s second-biggest problem, narrowly trailing traffic, with 27% of respondents saying that it is the issue that Malta most needs to address.
But this nonetheless represents a dip from previous polls, in which it often topped the list with well over a third of respondents saying it was Malta’s biggest concern.
And the rising cost of living remains the issue that most impacts people on an individual level, with one in five saying that it is their biggest personal struggle, more than any other issue.
The poll also points to several other issues being on people’s mind, from over-construction and poor planning, to asylum seekers and overpopulation.
Corruption concerns slide down the table
Corruption, an issue that a poll held during last year’s European Parliament election had mentioned as the topic most likely to drive people to vote, also remains a concern, but it has dipped significantly over the past few years.
While almost 35% had listed it as Malta’s biggest problem back in early 2023, only 17% feel the same way today.
And corruption remains a far more pressing concern among people who voted for PN in the last general election, a third of who name it as Malta’s biggest problem, than for people who voted Labour or didn’t vote at all.
For the latter, the cost of living remains far and away Malta’s biggest problem.
And, unlike most other previous polls, in which people of almost all ages listed corruption as one of the country’s top concerns, only respondents over the age of 65 listed it amongst Malta’s top three problems this time around.
The poll, carried out by market research firm Esprimi, surveyed 600 people between January 30 and February 12.
PN reacts: Transport one of government's biggest failures
In a reaction to the survey findings, the Nationalist Party said it confirmed that transport was one of the government's biggest failures.
"Almost four years ago, just a few months before a general election, Labour presented the Metrò project, spending more than €2 million of taxpayers’ money on it. As soon as the election was over, they scrapped it. Robert Abela and his colleagues always knew they were never going to implement this project, yet they were comfortable wasting public money just to make people believe they were going to solve all the problems. They misled the public using their own money," the party said.
"Now, we are facing a situation where traffic is not only creating frustration and anger but is also leading to stress and anxiety. In addition, traffic is increasing air pollution in our country, negatively impacting our health and causing further economic damage."
The party reiterated its promises for the sector, including an efficient mass transport system, a stronger infrastructure, well planned roadworks, and incentives for those who choose to give up their car for a number of years in favour of alternative transport.
Mark Anthony Sammut, shadow minister for transport, signed the statement.