During this European Mobility Week we cannot fail to emphasise government’s lack of commitment towards a serious policy to give the roads back to the people by rendering them safer and ensuring effective clean and sustainable mobility.

This was stated by ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo.

Cacopardo added that instead of strategies that seek to contain car use, this country has had successive governments encouraging over many years private vehicle use, while discouraging pedestrians and alternative means of transport off the road. Indeed even Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia declared his skewed vision that roads were there for cars – others will have to make do somehow! PLPN politicians have repeatedly chosen to uproot trees and cover arable land over with concrete to accommodate more and more cars.

Permits for new petrol stations have been continued to be issued galore and farmers have been banished from their fields. Temporary benefits have been prioritized over our health: the choice for traffic, pollution and the resulting anxiety instead of open spaces and pedestrianised roads.

ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Secretary General Mark Zerafa emphasized that private vehicles are a source of continuous pollution. “This type of pollution has been related to the increased incidence of chronic disease and respiratory conditions, while the continuous  traffic noise is detrimental to our mental health. In addition traffic fatalities are on the increase.”

“Car emissions also contribute to climate change. This is an emergency situation: there is no time for delayed action. It is imperative that we all pull up our socks and contain such emissions to meet international targets and obligations. The use of electric vehicles is not enough. Such vehicles are only emission-free if they are powered by renewable energy.”

“There is the need for our mobility to become more sustainable. Malta and Gozo are small islands: everywhere is within easy reach. It is estimated that half of the trips carried out by private vehicles are for a 15 minute duration, or less. In most instances it should be possible to walk or bike over such short distances. There is the need to encourage bike use including pedelecs and scooters not just through empty words but by creating the right infrastructure. Bicycle lanes should by set up wherever possible, especially in main roads to render bike use as safe as possible. The grants towards the purchase of bikes are commendable but if our roads are going to remain dangerous there will be limited increase in the use of alternative means of transport.”

“The announcement in last budget that public transport will become free is a step in the right direction. However, one must understand also what is hindering many not to make frequent use of such a service. We are all in a hurry and few are those who can afford the luxury of waiting on a bus stop for a long time. There is the need for buses to become more frequent and punctual; with routes that spread out across the country and a country-wide Bus Rapid Transit system. Public transport should be prioritized on our roads.”

While during this week may European Union countries organized educational activities to promote alternative means of transport, in Malta we were served the usual rhetoric of empty words because the much-needed changes that benefit our health and the environment we live in are either not implemented or else are half-baked measures.

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Nuqqas ta’ impenn mill-gvern għal toroq sikuri għal kulħadd

Propju f’nofs il-Ġimgħa Ewropea tal-Mobilità, ma nistgħux ma ninnutawx in-nuqqas ta’ impenn mill-gvern li jwettaq politika serja li biha jagħti t-toroq lura lin-nies, jagħmilhom aktar sikuri u verament jimbotta l-mobilità nadifa u sostenibbli.

Dan qalu ċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Carmel Cacopardo.

Cacopardo żied jgħid li pajjiżna, minflok jagħżel strateġiji biex inrażżnu l-użu tal-karozzi, minflok gvern wara ieħor ilhom snin sħaħ jagħżlu li jagħtu spinta lill-vetturi privati, u jimbuttaw lin-nies u mezzi oħra tat-trasport ‘il barra mit-triq. Saħansitra l-Ministru għat-Trasport Aaron Farrugia iddikjara li t-toroq qegħdin hemm biss għall karozzi – ħaddieħor irid jara kif jiddobba. Il-politiċi tal-PLPN għażlu li jqaċċtu s-siġar u jiksu r-raba bil-konkos sabiex jakkomodaw aktar u aktar karozzi. Għażlu li l-permessi għal pompi ġodda tal-petrol jibqgħu joħorġu bħal pastizzi u li jkeċċu lill-bdiewa mill-għelieqi tagħhom. Għażlu benefiċċji temporanji filwaqt li injorajaw saħħitna. Għażlu t-traffiku u t-tniġġis u l-ansjetà li jġibu magħħom minflok spazji miftuħa u toroq pedonali.

Mark Zerafa, Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali qal li l-vetturi privati huma sors ta’ tniġġis kontinwu. “Dan it-tniġġis hu marbut ma’ żieda fl-inċidenza ta’ mard kroniku u kondizzjonijiet respiratorji, filwaqt li l-ħsejjes ma jieqfu qatt minn traffiku qawwi huwa ta’ detriment għas-saħħa mentali tagħna. U xi ngħidu dwar inċidenti tat-traffiku, uħud minnhom fatali? Inċidenti li jaħsdu tant u li żdiedu.”

“L-emissjonijiet tal-karozzi jikkontribwixxi għat-tibdil tal-klima. Din hi emerġenza planetarja u ż-żmien tat-tkaxkir tas-saqajn għadda. Hemm bżonn li nerfgħu ir-responsabilitajiet tagħna u nrażżnu dawn l-emissjonijiet sabiex nilħqu l-miri u l-obbligi internazzjonali tagħna. L-użu tal-karozzi elettriċi, mhux biżżejjed. Il-karozzi elettriċi huma biss ħielsa mill-emissjonijiet jekk jitħaddmu b’enerġija rinovabbli.”

“Hemm bżonn li nħarsu madwarna u nifhmu li hemm ħtieġa li l-mobilita’ tagħna ssir aktar sostenibbli. Malta u Għawdex huma gzejjer żgħar u d-distanzi huma qosra. Huwa stmat li nofs il-vjaġġi bil-karozza jieħdu inqas minn ħmistax-il minuta. Meta it-temp jippermetti, m’għandhiex tkun sfida qawwija biex uħud jagħżlu li jimxu jew li jużaw rota. Hemm bżonn li nħeġġu l-użu tar-roti, u roti elettriċi u scooters mhux biss bid-diskors imma ukoll billi noħolqu infrastruttura addattata. Hemm bżonn li noħolqu bicycle lanes kull fejn dan hu possibbli, speċjalment f’toroq arterjali sabiex l-użu tar-roti ikun ħieles minn periklu żejjed. L-għotjiet f’għajnuna għax-xiri ta’ roti hija inizjattiva tajba, iżda jekk it-toroq jibqgħu perikolużi ftit se jkun hemm żieda fl-użu ta’ mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport.”

“Filwaqt li kien pass għaqli mħabbar fil-baġit tas-sena li għaddiet li s-servizz tal-linja jsir bla ħlas. Minkejja dan, tajjeb li nifhmu sew x’inhu dak li jżomm lill-pubbliku milli jagħmel użu aktar frekwenti minn dan is-servizz. Il-ħajja tal-lum hi mgħaġġla; ftit huma dawk li għandhom il-lussu li jistgħu jistennew għal ħinijiet twal fuq stejġ tal-linja. Hemm bżonn li l-karozzi tal-linja jkunu aktar spissi u puntwali; hemm bżonn rotot aktar mifruxa sabiex  tintlaħaq mingħajr diffikulta’ kull rokna tal-pajjiż u hemm bżonn sistema Bus Rapid Transit tul il-pajjiż kollu. It-trasport pubbliku għandu jkollu preċedenza fit-toroq.”

Filwaqt li matul din il-ġimgħa il-pajjiżi tal-Unjoni Ewropea organizzaw attivitajiet edukattivi li jippromwovu mezzi ta’ trasport alternattiv, f’Malta bħas-soltu drajna bir-retorika u l-paroli fl-arja għax dawk il-bidliet meħtieġa għal ġid ta’ saħħitna u tal-ambjent li ngħixu fih jew ma jsirux jew inkella jsiru nofs leħja.