Illum ninsabu l-Imsida fejn se jibda proġett mostruż tal-Imsida Creek li ftit li xejn jagħti kas ir-residenti Misidjani u l-impatt li se jħalli fuq is-saħħa tagħhom. L-għan ta’ dan il-proġett jgħidu li hu traffic management: biex jagħmilha aktar faċli għall-karozzi. Kunċett skadut minn żminijiet oħra. Dan ifisser li l-karozzi se jingħataw prijorità fuq in-nies u l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħhom. Billi suppost jagħmilha aktar faċli għall-karozzi, il-proġett jagħti messaġġ ċar li tajjeb li tuża l-karozza tiegħek flok it-trasport pubbliku. B’riżultat ta’ hekk, it-traffiku inevitabilment se ikompli jiżdied u fil-verità ma jbiddel u jsolvi xejn.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet:”Din il-proposta kienet ilha tinħema mill-2019 u sa mill-bidu sabet oppożizzjoni kbira għax kienet tinjora lir-residenti u l-ispazji miftuħa. Reġgħet ġiet proposta fl-2022 b’bidliet sostanzjali li jagħtu aktar każ l-ispazji pubbliċi, bi pjazza għall-pubbliku ta’ 2,200 metru kwadru kif ukoll kanal. Xorta jibqa’ l-fatt li huwa proġett li jagħti prijorità lill-karozza u tinjora mezzi oħra ta’ trasport inkluż il-mixi. Infatti din hija żona fejn ħafna (sal-lum) iħossuhom komdi li jużawha ghall-mixi; issa se jkollhom jaħsbuha darbtejn. Is-soluzzjoni biex tnaqqas it-traffiku hi li tnaqqas l-użu tal-karozzi billi toħloq infrastruttura li takkomoda mezzi differenti ta’ trasport inkluż il-mixi. Ma tistax tivvinta flyover biex taġevola l-influss tal-karozzi għad-detriment ta’ min juża riġlejh biex jasal minn post għall-ieħor. Meta saħansitra l-Kamra tal-Periti toħroġ bl-ideat tagħha għal soluzzjoni u tiġi injorata għax “tard wisq”, tistaqsi: tard għal min? Tard għax diġà laħaq sar ftehim mal-kuntrattur li ma jmurx jonqoslu xi ċenteżmu? Tard żgur għan-nies tal-Imsida li jibqgħu jiġu injorati u s-saħħa tagħhom ma tkunx ta’ prijorità, l-aqwa li nagħtu l-idea li qed naħdmu, li hawn ix-xogħol u li qiegħda ssir xi ħaġa. Iżda jekk dak li jsir hux tajjeb jew le, dik ftit li xejn tinteressa lil min qed imexxi.”

“Meta tħares lejn il-Masterplan 2025 u l-istrateġija tal-2050 dwar it-trasport, tinduna li fuq il-karta hemm ħafna proposti pożittivi iżda li minnhom twettqu ftit li xejn. L-iktar punti importanti li qed jiġu injoranti huma l-ħtieġa li tipprovdi alternattiva għat-trasport privat u li tnaqqas l-importanza tal-karozza. Filfatt, qed isir eżattament l-oppost. Meta tagħmel proġetti ta’ dan it-tip u tinjora l-Masterplan tiegħek stess, tkun qed turi kemm m’hemmx ħsieb dwar dak li għandu jsir u kemm il-proġetti jsiru biex jimlew il-but ta’ xi ħadd a skapitu tar-residenti u tal-kaxxa ta’ Malta. Irid ikun hemm koerenza bejn dak li jkun hemm ippjanat u dak li effettivament qiegħed isir u bħalissa din il-koerenza ma teżistix. Anzi qiegħed isir kollox bil-maqlub ta’ dak li jingħad, jinkiteb jew jiġi maħsub. Għalfejn noqogħdu naħlu l-ħin u flus il-poplu fuq dawn l-istudji u Masterplans biex meta niġu għall-azzjoni naqgħu fuq l-affarijiet u ideat antiki u tas-soltu, li ma mmorrux nirfsu l-kallu ta xi ħadd? Wasalna f’punt fejn hemm bżonn ta’ deċiżjonijiet kuraġġużi u li forsi mhux daqstant popolari biex il-pajjiż ma jiġġammjax aktar milli diġà hu. Ma tistax tmexxi pajjiż ‘il quddiem b’mentalità skaduta u viżjoni li ma timxix maż-żminijiet tal-lum.”

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar żied:”Irridu infrastruttura li tpoġġi l-bniedem fiċ-ċentru, bil-għan li ttejjeb il-kwalita’ tal-ħajja taċ-ċittadin. X’jiswew il-proġetti massivi jekk  ma jpoġġux il-bniedem fic-ċentru? Għalxejn l-inċentivi fil-budget biex tħeġġeġ in-nies tnaqqas l-użu tal-karozza meta fl-aħħar mill-aħħar l-infrastruttura u l-hekk imsejjaħ titjib jinċentivaw l-użu tat-trasport privat. Dan għalkemm it-tul medju ta’ vjaġġ f’Malta hija d-distanza żgħira ta’ 5.5km.

Irridu gvern koerenti, gvern li jaf x’inhu jagħmel u mhux gvern  li jimxi skond kif jgħidulu grupp ta’ nies li għandhom interessi personali ‘l fuq mill-ġid komuni. Il-gvern qiegħed hemm biex imexxi, mhux biex jitmexxa. Bla dubju, dak li hu “tard wisq” hu l-ħolqien ta’ infrastruttura li toffri alternattivi għall-karozzi. Nagħlaq billi nsemmi l-inizjattivi li suppost ikunu lesti sal-aħħar tal-2025, msemmija fil-Masterplan ikkummissjonat mill-gvern stess. Araw naqra x’ħela ta’ flus. Inħallu f’idejkom biex tiddeċiedu kemm l-ispirtu tal-Masterplan tal-gvern stess ġie attwat.

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Government’s own transport masterplan 2025 and strategy 2050 ignored

We are here today in Msida, where the monstrous Msida Creek project is about to commence, a project which gives little thought to the Msida residents and the impact that this will have on their health.  The aim of this project is traffic management, which in reality is to make things easier for cars.  This means that cars are being given priority over people and their quality of life.  By making it easier to use private vehicles, the project is incentivising the use of private cars and not public transport.  As a result of this, the increase in traffic is inevitable.

ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said:”A proposal in the making since 2019, it was met with great opposition because it ignored the residents and open spaces.   It was once again presented in 2022 with substantial amendments that included more public spaces, with a public square of around 2,200 metres squared and also a canal.  However, the fact remains that the project prioritises car use, ignoring other forms of transport, including walking.  In fact, this is a zone where many feel safe to use for travelling on foot; now, people will have to think twice about that.  The solution to traffic reduction, namely a reduction of car use, is creating the infrastructure that accommodates a variety of transport means.   You cannot just come up with a flyover to accommodate the influx of cars to the detriment of those who prefer to travel on foot.  When the Chamber of Architects came out with their ideas for a solution, they were completely ignored because it was “too late”.  We ask: “too late” for who? “Too late” because of the agreements with contractors afraid to lose money?  It is certainly “too late” for the residents of Msida who continue to be ignored and whose health is not a priority.  The important thing is that we give the impression that we are working, that there are jobs, and that something is being done.  But whether that job is being done well or not is of little concern to those who are in power.”

“When you look at the 2025 Transport Masterplan and the 2050 strategy, you realise that on paper there are many positive proposals, but very few of these proposals have materialised.  The most important points being ignored are those concerning the need to provide alternative means of transport so as to reduce car use.  In fact, the complete opposite is happening.  When you embark on a project of this nature and ignore your own masterplan, you are really showing that there is no plan to actually do what needs to be done, and such plans are being adopted to benefit the pocket of the few at the expense of the residents and the Treasury.  There must be consistency between what is planned and what is actually being done and currently this consistency does not exist.  On the contrary, it is the opposite of what is being said, written or discussed.  Why are we wasting time and public money on these studies and masterplans when we eventually go back to the old ways of doing things – is this to avoid stepping on somebody’s toes?  We have come to a point where the courage to take bold and unpopular decisions to tackle the traffic problem is urgently needed.  You cannot lead a country into the future with an expired vision that does not work for the realities of the present and the future.”

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar said:”We need a mobility infrastructure that places people at its centre, with the aim of improving the quality of the life of citizens.  What is the worth of these massive projects if they do not place people at the heart of such projects?  Budget incentives to encourage people to rely less on private care use are useless when planned infrastructure will actually encourage the opposite. It is pertinent to point out that the average distances travelled in Malta are just a measly 5.5km, and still government persists in encouraging congestion and pollution instead of people friendly streets.“

“We need a serious, consistent government who knows what it’s doing, and not a government that is led by the few who want their personal interests prioritised over the common good.  The government is there to lead, and not to be led.  Without a doubt, what is “too late” is the creation of infrastructure that offers an alternative to car use. It is pertinent to point out again that government had ignored the studies it itself has commissioned. Just look at the Transport Masterplan 2025 (excepts below). What a waste of money! It is clear that government has ignored the spirit and letter of the plan, which expires next year. Shame.”

Siltiet mit-Transport Masterplan 2025 (2016) / Excepts from the Transport Masterplan 2025 (2016)

Within the organisational framework of Maltese road transport, one critical aspect that affects the road sector as well as other transport sectors is that transport policy and planning in Malta tend to be short-term in nature, with measures and projects primarily focussing on new road construction or increasing existing road capacity at problematic locations in isolation rather than considering the wider strategic policy context. (p.45)

• Lack of alternative forms of public transport to road-based buses
• Inadequate bus shelter provision and inflexibility of contract with bus shelter provider
• Poor quality pedestrian infrastructure reducing access to bus stops in urban areas
• Low level of bus priority provision to facilitate better reliability and punctuality of bus services (p.47)

• Traffic congestion will increase over time leading to reduced reliability and punctuality of bus services
• Lack of road space allocated to the safe and efficient operation of public transport
• Poor integration of the spatial planning of land use development with existing public transport provision encourages car dependency
• Decreasing usage of unscheduled public transport services by the Maltese travelling public
• Opposition to dedicated bus lanes by strong car lobby. (p.48)

Urban areas with high levels of public transport use often also have high levels of road traffic as well… Public transport services, even when augmented by paratransit services, would most likely not be able to provide the level of service that car users enjoy in many lower density or peripheral urban areas, but provision of high quality bus services along the main corridors to the busy centres and extensive provision within these centres can encourage modal transfer from private car to public transport at the periphery of the built up areas. (p.49)

Bus services share the roads with other traffic, they get caught up passing through areas of traffic congestion but, unlike other traffic, buses cannot take short-cuts to bypass congestion. Most congested European cities provide clear priority for buses in traffic through the provision of bus priority measures (bus activated traffic signals, bus only streets, bus lanes, etc.) as buses use existing limited road space in a much more efficient manner than other traffic. (p.54)

There is great potential for the development of cycling as part of an integrated and intermodal transportation system (opportunity). This would entail improving bicycle infrastructure to and at public transportation hubs, improving both accessibility and the ability to securely park and/or store bicycles. Agreements must also be made with public transport operators enabling carrying or storage of bicycles in their vehicles. (p.59)