A plan to address the number of road fatalities will be announced in the coming days, Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia said on Friday, following a surge in traffic accidents in recent weeks.
Three people have lost their lives on Maltese roads since the weekend.
Last Saturday, Marie Claire Lombardi died after losing control of her motorbike in Rabat.
Two days later, 23-year-old Jesús David Reina Quero died after being hit by a car in Marsa. On Wednesday, Antony Bongailas was hit by a van in Żejtun, and died in the hospital afterward.
Just last night, a 29-year-old driver was grievously injured when his two-seater car crashed into the Msida skatepark, landing on its roof.
Farrugia said he was concerned about these numbers.
"There are families who are grieving for their lost ones behind these numbers... I am concerned with these numbers" Farrugia said.
He said that he had met with Road Safety Council several times and that his ministry "has a plan".
"We have a plan which will be announced in the coming days, where we see that the numbers we have today are being considered," he said.
When pressed, Farrugia declined to provide details about this new plan, though he indicated that a road safety strategy that extends to 2024 would be updated before that date.
"I believe that this needs to be modified to address the problems we face today, and that we cannot wait until 2024," he said.
Farrugia argued that the government was not indifferent to the issue, noting that apart from that strategy, the country also has a road safety council and seasonal campaigns "to not drink and drive or use your mobile while driving."
The EU Commission has set member states the target of moving to zero road deaths by 2050.
A total of 23 road fatalities have taken place this year, and earlier in October, it was reported that there were more than 800 traffic accidents that resulted in fatalities or injuries over the past three years.
Minister to join cyclists tomorrow
When asked if he believes it is safe to cycle in Malta, Farrugia was quick to respond that it is not.
"It is not safe enough, this is a very clear answer," he said.
He said he cycles throughout the weekend, and that while there are places that are safe, there are others that are not.
He confirmed he will be meeting a number of cyclists tomorrow, Saturday, to understand their realities.
Last week, Farrugia accepted an invitation by sports-content creator Bulletproof, to join cyclists on a bicycle ride so that he can experience their concerns on Malta's roads.