Alternattiva Demokratika tilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon l-aħbar tal-Prim Ministru li se jniedi konsultazzjoni dwar il-bidla minn vetturi li jużaw il-petrol u d-diesel – fabbrika tal-kanċer fil-qalba ta’ kull belt u raħal – għal vetturi elettriċi.
Il-kelliem ta’ AD Ralph Cassar qal:”Din il-bidla hija waħda mill-proposti konkreti li għamlet Alternattiva Demokratika fid-dokument tagħha Zero Carbon Malta 2050. Il perjodu ta’ tranzizzjoni biex il-karozzi kollha ikunu elettriċi jiddependi minn ħafna fatturi fosthom kemm jeħtieġ żmien biex tinbidel l-infrastruttura li s’issa taqdi biss vetturi petrol u diesel għal infrastruttura li tinkludi skemi ta’ bdil, iċċarġjar u riċiklaġġ ta’ batteriji, kif ukoll perjodu biex karozzi eżistenti jinbidlu fi żmen raġjonevoli. Fuq medda qasira l-Gvern għandu jara li l-vetturi kollha tiegħu, dawk ta’ kumpaniji tal-kiri tal-karozzi u taxis jinbidlu għal dawk elettriċi. L-elettrifikazjoni tat-trasport pubbliku wkoll għandha tiġi ppjanata minnufih. Li huwa importanti li jkun hemm pjan b’miri ċari u tondi u li l-miri jinżammu.”
“Nemmnu li ma din l-inizjattiva importanti għandhom jittieħdu oħrajn b’mod immedjat biex tonqos il-konġestjoni fosthom li fi żmien qasir issir sistemi nazzjonali ta’ passaġġi sura ta’ nies għar-roti u roti elettriċi tul il-bypasses kollha. Qed insejjħu biex ikun hemm inċentivi biex in-nies jitħajru jużaw ir-roti u roti elettriċi għall-commuting. Ma tagħmilx sens li jkun hemm ostakli bħal bżonn ta’ reġistrazzjoni ta’ roti elettriċi – l-użu tagħhom għandu jkun faċilitat u mhux imxekkel. Anzi għandu jkun hemm skemi li itaffu l-ispiża ta’ min jiddeċiedi li jixtri roti elettriċi. L-investiment f’infrastruttura għar-roti u roti elettriċi u inċentivi fiskali biex jingħataw spinta jqum ħafna inqas minn infieq f’flyovers u mini. Dawn il-proġetti u inċentivi jistgħu jsiru relattivament malajr. Skont figuri minn Londra l-introduzzjoni ta’ ‘bicycle superhighways’ żied l-użu tar-roti b’60%. Figuri oħra juru tnaqqis ta’ 35% fil-ħin tal-vjaġġ tal-vetturi meta tul toroq prinċipali ġew introdotti lanes separati u siguri għar-roti. Għal kull persuna li tuża r-rota ikollok anqas traffiku u anqas tniġġis fi żmien qasir.”
“L-elettrifikazzjoni tat-trasport għandha tkun marbuta wkoll ma’ investiment serju f’sorsi rinnovabbli tal-enerġija, mix-xemx, sal-mewġ, ir-riħ u sorsi oħra bħal gass naturali mill-irżieżet u d-drenaġġ. Il-mira ta’ 10% sas-sena 2020 hija ftit wisq. Malta għal darba għandha l-opportunita’ li tkun minn ta’ quddiem fil-bidla lejn ekonomija zero karbonju – ekonomija sostenibbli b’tipi ta’ xogħol f’livelli differenti għal kulħadd, u b’kwalita’ ta’ ħajja aħjar għalina lkoll.”
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AD welcomes consultation on the change from petrol and diesel cars to electric cars
AD welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement that government will launch a consultation on the change from vehicles using petrol and diesel – the true cancer factory in the heart of every town and village – to electric vehicles.
AD spokesperson Ralph Cassar said: “This change is one of the concrete proposals made by AD in its document Zero Carbon Malta 2050. The transition period for all cars to change from diesel and petrol to electric is dependent on many factors including the time necessary to change the infrastructure which so far only serves petrol and diesel vehicles to infrastructure including battery swapping schemes, and the charging and recycling of batteries, as well as reasonable period so during which all current diesel and petrol cars are phased out. In the short term the Government should ensure that all its vehicles, those of rental companies and taxis are replaced by electric ones. The electrification of public transport should also be planned immediately. It is important to have a plan with clear targets which are adhered to.”
“We insist that this important initiative should be accompanied by immediate ones to reduce congestion, among them a national system of proper bicycle paths for commuters using bicycles and electric bicycle. All ‘bypasses’ should have a system of proper bicycle lanes connecting all towns and villages. We are also reiterating our call for incentives for people who use bicycles and electric bicycles for commuting. It makes no sense to have bureaucratic barriers such as the need of registration of electric bicycles – their use should be facilitated rather than hindered. There should be schemes to reduce the cost of buying electric bicycles. The investment in infrastructure for bicycles and electric bicycles and fiscal incentives to boost uptake costs much less than flyovers costs and tunnels. These projects and incentives can be launched relatively quickly. According to figures from London the introduction of ‘bicycle superhighways’ increased use of bicycles by 60%. Other figures show a decrease of 35% of travelling time for vehicles along main roads where separate and safe bicycle lanes were introduced. For each person who uses a bicycle you get less traffic and less pollution. ”
“The electrification of transport should also be linked to serious investment in renewable sources of energy: solar, to wave, wind and other sources such as natural gas from farm waste and waste water. The target of 10% by 2020 is too little. Malta for once has the opportunity to lead the shift towards a zero carbon economy – a sustainable economy which works for everyone. Green works.”
