It is positive that cycling activists have extracted a commitment from Minister Aaron Farrugia for safe routes for commuter cyclists. This is a change from the anti-scooter, anti-bicycle and anti-pedestrian rhetoric of the recent past, both by previous transport Minister Ian Borg, and the incumbent.

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Ralph Cassar said that as predicted time and again by the party, and by activists and policy experts, Malta’s road building projects have been a total policy failure, and have only benefited the few contractors involved. 

“While it is good that the Minister has committed to safe cycling routes for commuters, we hope that this project will be pursued with the same level of zeal, commitment and proper funding as the self-defeating pro-car projects.”

“Serious alternative mobility projects mean assigning road space to lower-impact and cleaner modes of mobility. It does not mean leaving everything as is, nor does it mean taking up existing open spaces. There is enough space on the roads themselves which can be reassigned to bicycles, pedelecs, scooters and pedestrians.”

ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo added:”We just hope that experienced mobility consultants and engineers are engaged and that when the necessary decisions to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and public transport need to be taken, Aaron Farrugia and government don’t back down. Stakeholders must be involved in any plans of commuter cycling routes from the beginning.”

“We also feel that a major priority should be connecting post-secondary institutions, MCAST and the University of Malta campuses, at least to the surrounding towns. It is also pertinent to point out that despite Minister Farrugia’s commitment, the absolute priority once again afforded to private cars in the wasteful Msida flyover project, goes contrary to the spirit of his new-found conversion to sustainable mobility.”

“Once again, after years of anti-sustainability, pro-pollution populism, seeing is believing.”

***

Rotot sikuri għar-roti – ‘trid tara biex temmen’

Huwa ta’ sodisfazzjon li min juża r-rota bħala mezz ta’ trasport, grazzi għall-ħidma tal-attivisti, issa għandhom l-impenn tal-Ministru Aaron Farrugia għal rotot sikuri f’żoni urbani. Din tidher li hija bidla mill-mentalità ostili kontra mezzi bħal roti, pedelecs u scooters, kif ukoll kontra n-nies li jużaw it-toroq tagħna, attitudni mħaddna kemm mill-Ministru tat-Trasport ta’ qabel, Ian Borg, kif ukoll mill-istess ministru li għadna illum.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Ralph Cassar, qal:” Ma tridx tkun xi profeta, biex kif konna għidna aħna, u oħrajn, fosthom attivisti u esperti, tinduna li l-proġetti massiċċi ta’ toroq huma politika falluta li minnha ibbenefikaw biss il-ftit kuntratturi involuti. Tberbiq ta’ flus bla riżultati tanġibbli.”

“Issa li għandna dan l-impenn tal-Ministru favur rotot sikuri għal min jrid juża mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport, nittamaw li dan il-proġett jiġi esegwit bl-istess ħeġġa, impenn u fondi neċessarji bħal dawk il-proġetti favur il-karozzi li ma wassluna imkien.”

“Proġetti ta’ mobilità alternattiva serji ifissru li jkun hemm allokazzjoni akbar tat-toroq għal mezzi li jħallu inqas impatt u huma aktar nodfa, bħar-roti, pedelecs, scooters, imma anke għan-nies. Żgur li ma jfissrux li kollox jibqa’ kif inhu, u li l-ispazju għall-karozzi jibqa’ l-istess. Lanqas ma jfisser li jittieħdu spazji miftuħa eżistenti. Hemm biżżejjed spazju diġà fit-toroq eżistenti.”

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo qal:“Nittamaw li jitqabbdu konsultenti u inġiniera esperti fil-mobilità ta’ esperjenza u li l-għaqda li taħdem għal min juża’ r-rota u stakeholders oħra jkunu involuti sa minn kmieni fit-tfassil ta’ kull rotta. Nisperaw ukoll kun meta jkun hemm bżonn li jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet li jagħtu prijorità fit-toroq lil min jimxi, ċiklisti, scooters u trasport pubbliku, Aaron Farrugia u l-Gvern iżommu kelmithom u ma’ jbiddlux id-diska biex jingħoġbu mas-sezzjoni storbjuża tal-elettorat.”

“Insostnu wkoll li konnessjonijiet sikuri tal-inqas mill-bliet u rħula tal-madwar lejn skejjel post-sekondarji, u l-kampus tal-MCAST u dak tal-Università ta’ Malta għandhom ikunu prijorità. We also feel that a major priority should be connecting post-secondary institutions, MCAST and the University of Malta campuses, at least to the surrounding towns. Huwa wkoll pertinenti li niġbdu l-attenzjoni tal-Ministru, li minkejja s-suppost konverżjoni tiegħu favur mobilità sostenibbli, fil-każ tal-proġett ta’ flyovers fl-Imsida, għal darba oħra l-prijorità qed tingħata lill-karozzi privati, u mhux lit-trasport pubbliku u lill-mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport.”

“Wara snin twal ta’ populiżmu kontra s-sostenibilità u favur it-tniġġis, ikollna ngħidu li bħal San Tumas, ‘trid tara biex temmen’!”