“Ir-rapport dwar tal-kwalità tal-arja fl-Ewropa li ġie ppubblikat reċentement li juri kemm il-kwalità baxxa tal-arja minħabba l-użu tal-fjuwils fossili twassal għal imwiet prematuri u r-rapport tal-ERA li jgħid li l-iskejjel qrib t-toroq mimlijin karozzi qed iwasslu biex it-tfal jsofru minn mard respiratorju, huma messaġġ car u tond: gvernijiet successivi naqsu milli jindirizzaw is-sors ewlieni ta’ sustanzi li jniġġsu l-arja, igifieri t-traffiku u l-uzu tal-fjuwils bħall-petrol u diesel “, qal Ralph Cassar, kelliem tal-AD dwar l-infrastruttura, l-enerġija u t-trasport.
“Gvern, wieħed wara l-ieħor naqas milli jindirizza s-sors ewlieni ta’ tniġġis ta’ l-arja: trasport bil-fjuwils fossili. AD ilha tisħaq għal bidla fis-sistemi tat-trasport, waħda li toffri alternattivi reali għall-użu tal-karozzi – l-akbar sors ta’ sustanzi li jniġġsu l-arja. Madankollu l-amministrazzjoni attwali tidher li qed tagħmel bil-kontra. Minflok ma tinvesti ħafna f’modi differenti ta’ trasport pubbliku, qiegħda tinvesti f’miżuri li izidu l-karozzi u t-traffiku. Qed naraw infrastruttura li tħeġġeġ l-uzu tar-roti, per ezempju, tidghajjef. It-trasport pubbliku jidher li qed isibha diffiċli biex ilaħħaq mad-domanda attwali, u qed isibha difficli jiffunzjona sew f’toroq imballati bil-karozzi. Il-gvern lanqas biss qed jindenja idaħħal sistemi li jivvaforixxu t-trasport tal-massa fit-toroq tagħna.”
“Il-gvern preżenti qed jiġġieled battalja mitlufa. Li żżid l-ammont ta’ toroq u tkabbar it-toroq ‘l hemm u ‘l hawn tfisser haga wahda: żejt fil-bażwa. It-toroq attwali tagħna huma aktar minn biżżejjed jekk jintużaw b’mod effiċjenti. Fejn huma l-incentivi biex karozzi li bhalissa jġorru biss persuna jew tnejn jġorru 4 jew 5 persuni? Fejn huma l-facilitajiet biex it-toroq isiru aktar siguri ghal min irid jivjaġġa bir-rota jew rota elettrika? Fejn huma il-korsiji ta’ prijorita’ għat-trasport pubbliku? Il-Kummissarju għall-Ambjent fl-Uffiċċju tal-Ombudsman qal car u tond li t-twessigħ tat-toroq mhux se jnaqqas il-konġestjoni u t-tniġġis, xi ħaga ovvja ghal min irid jiftaħ għajnejh.”
“Għaldaqstant nirrakkomandaw investiment serju fit-trasport pubbliku, li jagħmel l-użu tiegħu aktar attraenti. Il-Wi-Fi b’xejn fuq tal-linja hija inizjattiva tajba pero hemm bzonn li l-Gvern jiehu t-tranport pubbliku bis-serjeta. Hemm bzonn miżuri bħal per ezempju investiment f’sistema ta’ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) li tiffavorixxi t-trasport pubbliku fit-toroq taghna. Bidu tajjeb ikun li l-gvern jibda jimplimenta l-pjan tiegħu stess dwar it-trasport – it-‘Transport Master Plan’.”
“X’inhu jagħmel il-gvern biex jibda t-tranżizzjoni lejn transport zero-karbonju? X’inhu jagħmel l-gvern biex it-tfal taghna fl-iskejjel ma jibqghux ‘roundabouts’? It-tweġiba wisq nibża’ li hi ftit jew xejn.”
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Government ignoring air quality issues – refusing to take concrete action
“The recently published Air Quality in Europe report showing how low air quality because of the use of fossil fuels leads to premature deaths and the ERA report stating that schools close to busy roads are leading to children suffering from respiratory illnesses, are reminders of the massive failure of governments to address the major source of air pollutants”, AD spokesperson on infrastructure, energy and transport Ralph Cassar has stated.
“One government after another failed to tackle the major source of air pollution: fossil fuelled transport. AD has long been advocating for a modal shift, one which offers real alternatives to car use- the single largest source of air pollutants. However the current administration seems to be taking such suggestions with a pinch of salt. Rather than investing heavily in different modes of public transport, it is investing in car oriented measures which do very little to address the real change that is required. Cycling infrastructure is being weakened, and public transport seems to be struggling to cope with current demand, while getting stuck in traffic.”
“The present government has committed itself to fighting a lost battle. Increasing the current capacity of our roads whilst refusing outright to make more efficient spaces of them. We believe that our current roads are more than enough if used efficiently. The many empty passenger seats in the countless cars on the roads during rush hour is a prime example of inefficiency. Most people travelling during rush hour have 1 or maybe 2 people in their car whereas a car’s capacity is typically of 4 or 5 people. This means many cars are only making use of 20-40% of their capacity. In the case of buses, capacity can easily reach over a 100 people, especially during rush hours where each bus is packed with well over its recommended capacity. In spite of this buses are treated as just another vehicle on the road, with priority lanes and other measures favouring public transport non-existent. The Environment Commissioner in the Office of the Ombudsman is right. He is saying what we have been saying all along. Widening roads will not reduce congestion and pollution in the long term.”
“We are therefore recommending serious investment in public transport, which makes its use more attractive. Providing free Wi-Fi on buses is a good thing but it is not enough to attract more people to using the service. Proper investment by government to ensure an efficient schedule, bus priority roads, bus shelters and other measures such as investment in a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, are desperately needed. We believe that only when this issue is taken seriously enough can we start paving the way to a healthier lifestyle, one which is less polluting and involves more active modes of transport. A good start would be for the government to start implementing its own transport master plan.”
“What is government doing to start the transition away from polluting vehicles? What is government doing to prepare for a zero-carbon future and a healthier urban environment? The answer I’m afraid, is little or nothing.”
