Local NGOs have accused Transport Malta and the Malta Maritime Authority of taking them for a ride by continuously postponing talks about Gozo Fast Ferry restrictions on e-bikes and scooters.
Representatives of Moviment Graffitti, Rota and Friends of the Earth Malta were due to meet with authorities on Friday morning to discuss the “unfair” fast ferry policies. But the meeting was postponed that same morning, as representatives of the civil society groups were en route to Transport Malta offices in Lija.
The Friday meeting date was set when a prior meeting was also cancelled at short notice.
Faced with repeated last-minute cancellations, civil society groups have now accused the transport regulator of taking them “for a ride”.
Activists are keen to meet with Transport Malta to discuss restrictions on e-bikes and scooters being carried on the fast ferry between Valletta and Mġarr, Gozo. Restrictions range from outright bans to requirements that the vehicles be kept outside, exposed to the elements and sea spray.
Gozo Fast Ferry, which introduced the rules last April without prior notice, has said that the rules are required due to concerns about the vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries spontaneously combusting.
Activists say that makes no sense and is not in line with the policies of other public transport services across Europe.
Cycling Industries Europe, the European cycling sector’s trade organisation, has concluded that fire risks related to e-bikes are “minimal” and that “practically all recorded battery fires to date happened while the battery was being charged”.
Activists say e-bike and scooter users should be required to switch off their batteries when boarding the ferry, to mitigate that risk.
“Restrictive policies for electric bicycles contrast with the government’s significant financial incentives to encourage citizens to shift from cars to electric bicycles, particularly for residents of Gozo,” activists said in a statement on Saturday.
“Pairing an electric bicycle with a fast ferry link between Gozo and Valletta is an efficient alternative to car travel between the two islands, alleviating traffic congestion and air pollution. However, the ever-changing policies of the Gozo fast ferry operator towards e-bikes make it harder to achieve the objectives of electrifying transport and reducing reliance on cars.”
The fast ferry service is being heavily subsidised by taxpayers and activists argued that it was therefore imperative for Transport Malta to ensure its operators treated alternative forms of transport fairly.
Activists also criticised authorities for their apparent reluctance to discuss the issue, noting that their salaries are paid by taxpayers, who should “be treated with respect rather than being taken for a ride.”
According to budget estimates for 2024, ferry operators will receive €8 million in public funding to operate the service net year.