B’reazzjoni għall-aħħar proposti dwar it-trasport mill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela, ADPD-The Green Party qal li l-gvern qed jerġa’ jurina li m’għandux idea, jew għajnejh mhux f’wiċċu, dwar is-soluzzjonijiet  reali ghall-kriżi tat-traffiku f’Malta. Minflok jippreżenta pjan serju biex inaqqas id-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi, il-Partit Laburista qed jerġa’ jipproponi soluzzjonijiet li fallew u li diġà swew mijiet ta’ miljuni ta’ Euro, u, kull ma għamlu kien li aggravaw il-konġestjoni.

ADPD qal li “titjib fil-junctions”, flyovers u proġetti ta’ twessigħ tat-toroq ilhom snin sħaħ fil-qalba tal-politika falluta tat-trasport tal-Labour. Ir-riżultat jidher ċar għal kulħadd: aktar karozzi, aktar traffiku, ħinijiet itwal ta’ vjaġġar, aktar tniġġis u kwalità tal-ħajja dejjem tmur lura. Li terġa’ tippakkja l-istess politika falluta f’kaxxa imgeżwra sabiħ b’żigarella ikkulurita bħala xi viżjoni ġdida għall-mobilità hija diżonesta politika u insolenti għal dawk li jesperjenzaw il-kaos tat-traffiku ta’ kuljum.

Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party u kandidat fuq distretti 7 u 11, Carmel Cacopardo, qal: “Robert Abela u l-Labour qed jirrifjutaw li jgħidu l-verità dwar it-traffiku għax ma jridux jammettu li Malta ma tistax issolvi l-konġestjoni waqt li tibqa’ tinkoraġġixxi dipendenza dejjem tikber fuq il-karozzi. Kull proġett ġdid tat-toroq jiġġenera aktar traffiku. Il-gvern jaf dan, iżda jibqa’ jirrepeti l-falsità li aktar infrastruttura għall-vetturi privati b’xi mod se ssolvi l-problema.”

“Filwaqt li l-gvern jitkellem b’mod vag dwar sistemi bombastiċi ta’ trasport tal-massa u riforma fit-trasport pubbliku, il-gvern qiegħed jimbotta u jipproponi politika li biha jiġu ffaċilitati aktar karozzi permezz ta’ proġetti kbar ta’ junctions f’Burmarrad, Paceville, Ħal Qormi u postijiet oħra fejn hemm il-konġestjoni. Dan l-approċċ sempliċement jirrepeti l-istess żbalji li ħolqu l-kriżi. Jew m’għandhomx idea ta’ x’inhuma jgħidu, jew qed ikunu diżonesti man-nies. Bil-fissazzjoni tagħhom bit-toroq qegħdin ukoll jeqridu ħafna raba’.”

“Malta teħtieġ direzzjoni kompletament differenti. L-investiment għandu jagħti prijorità lil trasport pubbliku affidabbli u frekwenti, sistema Bus Rapid Transit, korsiji ddedikati għall-karozzi tal-linja, infrastruttura sigura għaċ-ċikliżmu, ċentri urbani favur il-mixi u miżuri serji biex jitnaqqas in-numru ta’ karozzi fit-toroq. It-trasport pubbliku għandu jsir l-aktar għażla faċli u effiċjenti, mhux xi ħsieb sekondarju marbut ma’ skemi ta’ bini ta’ toroq. Filwaqt li tajjeb li jiżdiedu l-inċentivi biex jinxtraw roti elettriċi, huwa urġenti ħafna li t-toroq isiru siguri. Mingħajr toroq siguri ħafna żgħażagħ u persuni oħra li jridu jużaw mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport jaqtgħu qalbhom.”

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Abela clueless or dishonest about traffic

In reaction to Prime Minister Robert Abela’s latest transport proposals, ADPD-The Green Party said the government is once again proving that it is in complete denial about the real causes of Malta’s traffic crisis. Instead of presenting a serious plan to reduce car dependency, Labour is recycling failed policies that have already consumed hundreds of millions of euro while making congestion worse.

ADPD said that “junction improvements”, flyovers and road widening projects have been the centrepiece of Labour’s failed transport policy for years. The result is evident to everyone: more cars, more traffic, longer commuting times, more pollution and a deteriorating quality of life. Repackaging the same failed policies as a new vision for mobility is dishonest and insulting to residents who experience traffic chaos every single day.

ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo and candidate on districts 7 and 11 said:”Robert Abela and Labour are refusing to be honest about traffic because they are unwilling to admit that Malta cannot solve congestion while continuing to encourage ever-growing car dependency. Every new road project generates more traffic. The government knows this, yet it continues pretending that more infrastructure for private vehicles will somehow solve the problem.”

“While the government speaks vaguely about long-term transport systems and public transport reform, the immediate focus remains centred on facilitating more cars through major junction projects at Burmarrad, Paceville, Qormi and other choke points. This approach simply repeats the same mistakes that created the crisis in the first place. They are either clueless or being dishonest with people. In the process they are also laying to waste large areas of agricultural land.”

“Malta urgently needs a completely different direction. Investment should prioritise reliable and frequent public transport, a Bus Rapid Transit system, dedicated bus corridors, safe cycling infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly urban centres and serious measures to reduce the number of cars on the roads. Public transport must become the easiest and most efficient option, not an afterthought attached to road-building schemes. While we support an increase in financial incentives for the purchase of electric bicycles, if roads aren’t made safer, young people and others who would like to use alternative means of transport will hold back from making the shift.”