ADPD-The Green Party ilu b’mod konsistenti jenfasizza li t-tfassil tas-sistema tat-toroq f’Malta tħeġġeġ l-użu ta’ karozzi privati fuq kull mezz ieħor, u dan iwassal għal konġestjoni, tniġġis, toroq mhux siguri u tnaqqis fil-kwalità tal-ħajja. Il-partit isostni li l-politika tal-gvern tibqa’ kontradittorja: tagħti l-impressjoni li tappoġġja trasport sostenibbli, imma fir-realtà, tkompli tagħti prijorità lit-twessigħ tat-toroq. Dan hu ta’ żvantaġġ għal min jagħżel li jimxi jew li juża xi forma oħra ta’ trasport sostenibbli. Il-pontijiet sabiex wieħed jaqsam minn naħa għal oħra saru komuni fit-toroq ewlenin, u dan b’mod ċar juri li l-ispazju pubbliku huwa maħsub l-ewwel u qabel kollox għall-karozzi u mhux għan-nies. Kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party tkellmu dwar it-tema tat-toroq għan-nies ħdejn is-sit ta’ pont fl-Imsida.

L-Uffiċċjal għar-Relazzjonijiet Pubbliċi ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Brian Decelis qal li n-nuqqas ta’ viżjoni moderna ta’ gvernijiet suċċessivi dwar il-mobilità fisser toroq iddisinjati esklussivament għall-vetturi. Dan wassal għal spazji pubbliċi mhux siguri u mhux aċċessibbli. Min jagħżel li jimxi fit-triq spiss ikollu jinżel minn fuq il-bankina, minħabba użu kummerċjali eċċessiv, u dan jesponihom għall-periklu u l-individwi bi bżonnijiet speċjali, inaqqsilhom l-aċċessibilità. Il-pontijiet fl-Imsida, is-Swieqi, il-Marsa, l-Imrieħel u lokalitajiet oħra inbnew malajr u dan iħassibna għax din hi l-infrastruttura li spiss tagħti prijorità lit-traffiku u l-karozzi, filwaqt li l-konvenjenza għal min jagħżel li jimxi fit-triq tingħata l-ġemb. Hemm bżonn li nnaqsu t-traffiku sabiex in-nies ikunu jistgħu jaqsmu t-triq b’mod dirett u b’periklu mill-anqas. Min-naħa l-oħra, dawn il-pontijiet, jipprovdu mezz indirett u skomdu sabiex wieħed jaqsam it-triq, u dan kollu sabiex it-traffiku jibqa’ għaddej bla xkiel. L-infrastruttura għandha tadatta għan-nies, mhux bil-maqlub. Il-prijorità fit-triq għandha tkun tan-nies.

Il-Gvern ilu jkaxkar saqajh sabiex inaqqas id-dipendenza tagħna fuq il-karozzi. Dan in-nuqqas ta’ ppjanar fit-tul juri li n-nies m’humiex il-prijorità. Il-pajjiż ilu snin twal jagħti prijorità lill-karozzi u jidher li hekk se ikompli jagħmel. Minflok mobilità effiċjenti għan-nies, l-istateġija dejjem wasslet għal aktar karozzi fit-toroq, toroq aktar wiesa’, aktar spazju għall-parkeġġ u traffiku aktar qawwi. Fl-istess ħin, il-mixi fit-triq qed jiġi mfixkel, il-bankini huma ostakolati, spazji pubbliċi qegħdin jingħataw għal użu privat u nies vulnerabbli bħal ma huma tfal, anzjani u persuni b’diżabbilità qed jiġu esposti għall-perikli. Din mhix mobilità imma esklużjoni. It-toroq tagħna għandhom iservu lill-komunitajiet, mhux biss lill-vetturi jew lill-interessi kummerċjali.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li l-partit jemmen bis-sħiħ li Malta għandha bżonn b’mod urġenti bidla lejn sistema ta’ mobilità li tqiegħed lin-nies l-ewwel. Għalhekk jeħtieġ li nerġgħu nieħdu lura t-toroq tagħna u nqassmu mill-ġdid l-ispazju tat-triq billi nagħtu prijorità lill-mixi, ir-roti u t-trasport pubbliku, filwaqt li nnaqqsu d-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi privati.

Għalhekk, nipproponu strateġija komprensiva mibnija fuq il-prinċipji li ġejjin:

L-ewwel, niddisinjaw mill-ġdid it-toroq biex nagħtu prijorità lill-mixi u liċ-ċiklisti. Dan jinkludi bankini iktar wisgħin u mingħajr ostakli, mezz kif taqsam mingħajr periklu fil-livell tat-triq, infrastruttura protetta għaċ-ċikliżmu, u miżuri biex nikkontrollaw il-veloċità tat-traffiku f’żoni residenzjali.

It-tieni, ninvestu b’mod qawwi fi trasport pubbliku effiċjenti, affidabbli u aċċessibbli. It-trasport pubbliku għandu jkun il-qafas tal-mobilità, b’korsiji ddedikati għall-karozzi tal-linja u sistemi integrati sabiex tassew ikun alternattiva vijabbli għall-karozzi privati. Nipproponu sistema ta’ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Din hija l-aktar soluzzjoni prattika u ekonomika għall-isfidi tal-mobilità f’pajjiżna u tista’ tidħaddem b’mod effettiv b’korsiji ddedikati, prijorità fl-intersezzjonijiet u b’kapaċità akbar għal aktar passiġġieri. Din il-proposta tenfasizza l-ħtieġa li nnaqqsu l-karozzi privati mit-toroq, sabiex jinkiseb aktar spazju għal trasport pubbliku effiċjenti u affidabbli, bil-għan li tiġi indirizzata l-konġestjoni kronika.

It-tielet, nimplimentaw stateġiji li b’mod attiv inaqqsu d-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi. Fost l-oħrajn, dan ifisser li għandna naħdmu sabiex innaqqsu spazju eċċessiv għall-parkeġġ filwaqt li nippromwovu mezzi ta’ trasport alternattivi u siguri bħal ma huma r-roti elettriċi, scooters elettriċi u carpooling. Mhux aċċettabbli li dawn il-mezzi jitneħħew mit-toroq tagħna. Din hi nuqqas ta’ viżjoni fit-tul.

Ir-raba’, niżguraw li l-ispazju pubbliku jibqa’ verament pubbliku. L-infurzar għandu jwaqqaf il-ħtif bla kontroll tal-bankini u tat-toroq minn interessi privati, u jiggarantixxi aċċessibbiltà u sigurtà għal kulħadd.

Il-ħames, inlaqqgħu l-istrateġija tat-trasport mal-għanijiet tal-klima u tas-saħħa pubblika. Bidla lejn mobilità attiva mhux biss tnaqqas l-emissjonijiet, iżda wkoll ittejjeb il-benesseri tagħna, kemm fiżiku kif ukoll dak mentali.

Il-futur ta’ Malta jiddependi fuq deċiżjonijiet b’saħħithom. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu sejrin kif aħna, jekk ma rridux li l-kriżi tkompli tikber. Billi npoġġu n-nies fiċ-ċentru tal-istrateġija tal-mobilità tagħna, nistgħu noħolqu toroq ħelsin mill-periklu, komunitajiet aktar b’saħħithom u pajjiż aktar sostenibbli. Intennu l-impenn tagħna li nwasslu għal din il-bidla għax it-toroq tagħna huma ta’ kulħadd.

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Our streets should serve communities, not just vehicles or commercial interests

ADPD-The Green Party consistently highlights that the design of Malta’s road system favours private cars over everything else, resulting in congestion, pollution, unsafe streets, and declining quality of life. The party argues that government policy remains contradictory, it pays lip service to sustainable transport goals while continuing to prioritise road widening and pushing people and all sustainable forms of mobility off the roads. The pedestrian bridges mushrooming all over major roads convey a clear message: most public space is not for people but for cars.

ADPD-The Green Party spokespersons addressed this issue next to where a new pedestrian bridge is being proposed in Msida.

ADPD’s Public Relations Officer Brian Decelis said with successive governments lacking a long term vision on mobility, roads have been designed primarily for vehicles rather than people, leading to unsafe and inaccessible public spaces. Pedestrians are often forced off pavements due to commercial encroachment, exposing them to danger and reducing accessibility for vulnerable groups. The rush to build pedestrian bridges in Msida, Swieqi, Marsa, Imrieħel and other localities has highlighted concerns that such infrastructure often prioritises traffic flow rather than pedestrian convenience. Rather than calming traffic and prioritising safe, direct crossings at street level, these projects often force pedestrians into inconvenient, inaccessible routes simply to maintain vehicle flow. Infrastructure should adapt to people, not the other way round.

The failure of long-term planning and the government’s reluctance to reduce car dependency is failing people. There is no end in sight of decades of car-centric planning. Instead of moving people efficiently, policy has focused on moving more cars, leading to wider roads, more parking, and ultimately more traffic. At the same time, pedestrians are being pushed aside. Pavements are obstructed, public spaces are privatised, and vulnerable road users, including children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, are forced into dangerous situations. This is not mobility; it is exclusion. Our streets should serve communities, not just vehicles or commercial interests, concluded Decelis.

ADPD-The Green Party’s Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that Malta urgently needs a shift towards a people-first mobility system. This requires reclaiming our streets and reassigning road space in line with the mobility pyramid: prioritising walking, cycling, and public transport, while reducing dependence on private cars.

ADPD proposes a comprehensive strategy built on the following five principles:

1. Redesign streets to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists. This includes wider, unobstructed pavements, safe crossings at street level, protected cycling infrastructure, and traffic calming measures in residential areas.

2. Invest heavily in efficient, reliable, and accessible public transport. Public transport must become the backbone of mobility, supported by dedicated bus lanes and integrated systems that make it a viable alternative to private car use. We propose a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. A BRT system is the most practical, cost-effective solution for national traffic issues, centering on dedicated lanes, priority at intersections, and increased capacity. This proposal emphasizes reclaiming road space from private cars to provide faster, reliable public transit, aiming to tackle chronic congestion.

3. Implement policies that actively reduce car dependency. This includes discouraging excessive parking provision and promoting alternative and safe commuting options including e-bicycles, e-scooters and also shared mobility solutions. Pushing these modes of mobility off our streets is unacceptable and short-sighted.

4. Ensure that public space remains truly public. Enforcement must stop the unchecked takeover of pavements and streets by private interests, guaranteeing accessibility and safety for all.

5. Align transport policy with climate and public health goals. A shift towards active mobility will not only reduce emissions but also improve physical and mental well-being.

Malta’s future depends on bold decisions. Continuing on the current path will only deepen the crisis. By placing people at the centre of mobility policy, we can create safer streets, stronger communities, and a more sustainable country. We remain committed to leading this change, because our streets belong to everyone, concluded Gauci.