ADPD – The Green Party on Saturday condemned the government’s obsession with building a car-centric infrastructure, which it said, leads to a  deterioration in people's quality of life.

In a press conference in Swieqi on Saturday, the party explained that while other countries focus on reducing car pollution, the Maltese government is intent on having more and more roads, leading to yet more traffic congestion and pollution.

ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci said the Swieqi and Pembroke flyover and junction projects lack an infrastructure for walking and cycling and will not solve the traffic problems.

Neither will the new road passing through Żabbar towards the “failed” Smart City project solve anything, she added.

The government’s obsession with cars “demonstrates archaic thinking rather than modern governance with long-term vision”.

The latest NSO data confirms that by the last quarter of 2023, almost 440,000 cars were on Maltese roads, which ADPD insists is unsustainable.

The recent attempt to reduce car use by making public transport free has not led to the desired results, ADPD secretary general Ralph Cassar explained, as the country's bus service remained inefficient.

ADPD critisised the decision to scrap rental e-scooters, saying these should have been better regulated instead.