If there is one national challenge that affects the great majority of people, it must be that of navigating the increasingly congested road network.
While the causes of this problem are well known, the solutions applied so far have been largely ineffective, as road users continue to be frustrated by slow-moving traffic at practically all times of day.
In an interview with Times of Malta, Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia recently made some interesting comments on the tactics being used and those planned to try and ease the congestion, at least in the short term.
He also made some sobering remarks that should put an end to magical thinking on long-term solutions, like introducing a metro system or a tunnel linking Malta to Gozo.
Farrugia rightly argues that “traffic is the responsibility of whoever uses their car”.
Too often, car owners do not even consider other alternatives that may be less convenient but that would undoubtedly reduce the number of cars on our roads.
Car sharing, use of public transport and even walking for short-distance errands are too often neglected by many road users.
Public transport remains the most viable solution to congestion in the short term. Unfortunately, despite some significant improvements, the private operators of the public transport system have not managed to raise the standard of service high enough to persuade commuters to leave their cars at home.
Perhaps because of the perennially congested streets buses are often late and cannot be relied on to get you to your destination on time.
The mobile application that is meant to show the arrival time of the next bus is often inaccurate or non-functional.
Car sharing, use of public transport and even walking for short-distance errands are too often neglected by many road users
Also, buses are sometimes packed to the point of speeding by and leaving frustrated commuters stranded at the bus stop.
The increase in the bus fleet is good news. Farrugia was understandably cautious when suggesting that more bus lanes could make public transport faster and more reliable.
Malta is an overbuilt small island with traffic arteries often passing through densely built-up towns, where the narrow main roads only allow for single-lane traffic. Bus lanes may not be feasible in these zones. But, by all means, let’s give the idea a go, as Farrugia suggested will happen.
Some busy road junctions may need to be redesigned to reduce the bottleneck effect. Some roundabouts appear to be far too large; if reduced in size, manoeuvring around them might be easier and less risky.
More traffic lights equipped with well-timed switching may also ease traffic flow in busy junctions where the right-of-way traffic regulations often prevent vehicles coming from one direction from proceeding without long delays.
Farrugia poured cold water on the expectations that the Gozo tunnel and the metro system could be delivered in the next few years.
The economic and financial viability of these projects is far from proven.
There is a limit on how much taxpayers can be asked to underwrite massive infrastructural projects without burdening future generations with unbearable debt. The same argument applies to introducing an air service between the two islands, which, presumably, would only be viable if taxpayers foot the bill.
As long as the economic model of the island remains based on promoting growth through importing labour, the physical limitations of the infrastructure will remain under enormous pressure.
We must all consider doing our small part, whenever possible, to solve the Gordian knot of traffic congestion, with sensible personal decisions on how we use our roads.