The launch of the “discussion” about the proposed metro system gave me a feeling of déjà vu. We had seen this before – the grandiose statements, the Kennedyesque statements that we were on the edge of a new frontier, the epic music in the background. Yes indeed, we’ve been there, experienced it and got the mega-million scandal to go with it.

The last time a government announcement of the sort was the Electrogas power station launch. The Electrogas shebang cost a whopping €100,000 for 106 elite guests. Drones whirred overhead as light beams swooshed over the 3D projections and two young children were brought on board to high-five the former prime minister.

The showy ceremony was brought forward twice, to coincide with election plans and it was breathlessly described as “an event that defined the decade”. Rather than the “event” of the decade, it may be termed as one of the top five scandals of the decade but the point is that bombastic launches do not necessarily translate into sound policies or choices for the nation.

Take the latest electoral rabbit that Transport Minister Ian Borg has drawn out of his hat.

While on the face of it we are being invited to a broad and mature discussion on the possibility of having a metro system, in reality it is a far cry from the sober discussion and action the country should be adopting for a mass transit system.

In the first place, citizens are not being provided with all the studies and assessments as to other alternative mass transit systems.

We are directed to visit the container shed which houses an exhibition about the proposed metro system or visit the website or Facebook page dedicated to the proposal.

However, other from those videos, the websites are scant on information.

There are a few short paragraphs about why the metro was chosen as the best system. And, ultimately, the answer is always because other systems may result in the loss of on-street parking. There is no detailed analysis of the costings of creating the metro system and running it.

Even worse, there is absolutely no mention of the huge ecological cost of the massive amount of excavation waste which will be created and how it will be disposed of. The prime minister is trying to pass this off as an opportunity by using the excavated waste for land reclamation. But land reclamation has its own significant problems.

Every single visual of the projected metro stations shows increased commercialisation of open spaces, squares, promenades and green areas- Claire Bonello

Land reclamation causes socio-economic problems and threatens biodiversity, water quality and the visual aspect of our coastline. And let us not be fooled into thinking land reclamation will be done to provide more public spaces or parks. It will be done for purely speculative reasons to sate private greed, at the public’s cost, to prop up the moribund and unsustainable construction industry.

It is disrespectful to the public and irresponsible to pretend to be launching a discussion about such an important possibility without providing all the relevant information and transparency.

Some misguided persons commented on the metro proposal saying it would free up our roads from cars for more green spaces for the public to enjoy. Judging by the metro website, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a huge emphasis on the retention of on-street parking in all the information displayed. Every single visual of the projected metro stations shows increased commercialisation of open spaces, squares, promenades and green areas.

The Buġibba station is a huge glass behemoth close to the Salina Nature Reserve. In Pembroke, there’s a high-rise instead of the open park-and-ride space. Along the Sliema promenade, outside the projected station, there are a host of kiosks. The voice-over in the accompanying video during the launch spoke excitedly about more commercial possibilities.

A render of the proposed Pembroke station. Photo: Metro.mtA render of the proposed Pembroke station. Photo: Metro.mt

The Pembroke tower and land take-up was described as an opportunity to redesign the area “with a strong sense of urbanity”.  So, rather than more open spaces to be enjoyed by the public, it looks like there is going to be more commercialisation of open space. Not quite the liberating green vision we hope for but more of the same: construction, cars and kiosks, the holy trinity in this country where you cannot walk for more than 10 metres without finding a fast food outlet posing as an ‘amenity’.

There are many reasons why people don’t opt for bus travel. People claim that they have to walk some way to the bus stops, that they have to change over too often to get to their final destination, that they don’t like being cooped up with strangers for the duration of the journey. All of the above applies to a metro system.

So, what is the government going to do to dissuade citizens to ditch their cars and opt for the metro system? The truth is that, unless there is some disincentive to decrease private vehicle use or some extremely advantageous benefit attached to travelling by means of public transport, people are going to stick to their cars. If that happens, we’re going to have an expensive metro system, with huge land reclamation costs and no tangible benefit.

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