Il-Gvern qiegħed jonfoq il-mijiet ta’ miljuni kbar fuq proġetti tat-toroq iżda, James Gabarretta, Chairperson ta’ ADŻ (Alternattiva Demokratika Żagħżagħ) saħaq illi l-għeruq vera tal-problemi maħluqa mill-konġestjoni tat-traffiku hi d-dipendenza kważi assoluta tagħna bħala pajjiż fuq il-karozza.
“Bhala ADŻ nemmnu illi l-investiment għandu jsir mhux f’iktar biex ikompli jħajjar l-użu tal-karozzi iżda fil- mobilita’ sostenibbli. Dan jinkludi servizz ta’ trasport pubbliku robust u li jiffunzjona aħjar billi jingħata prijorita’ fuq il-karozzi fit-toroq; iktar attenzjoni u sigurta’ fit-toroq għal muturi ta’ qawwa sa 125cc u roti u roti elettriċi; kif ukoll reviżjoni serja u pjan fit-tul ta’ kif inhuma użati t-toroq tagħna.”
“Li nibqgħu ninvestu fl-użu tal-karozzi m’huwiex sostenibbli, anzi m’huwa investiment xejn iżda ħela kbira ta’ flus. Malta għandna l-għola rati ta’ obezita’ u żieda fid-dijossidu tal-karbonju (CO2) fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Dawn huma primarjament ikkawżati mill-użu tal-karozza. It-telf ta’ art agrikola (konvertita f’toroq), il-konġestjoni fiż-żoni urbani, it-tqaċċit tas-siġar u żieda fl-emissjonijiet m’humiex indikazzjoni ta’ għażliet sostenibbli.”
“Mill-banda l-oħra, il-mobilta’ hija parti essenzjali minn pajjiż b’ekonomija vibranti. ADŻ qegħdha isejjaħ lill-gvern jinvesti f’sistemi ta’ trasport li huma ħafna iktar sostenibbli mill-asfalt u toroq wesgħin. Huwa bżonnjuż li nżommu t-toroq tagħna fi stat tajjeb pero’ mhuwiex neċċessarju li nonfqu l-għexieren ta’ miljuni fi żvillupp ta’ toroq. Il-gvern għandu obbligi internazzjonali li jnaqqas l-użu tal-karozzi u t-tniġġis tal-arja. Pjan olistiku ta’ kif se jseħħ dan għandu jitfassal minnufih. Ma jistax ikun li l-ġid tal-ekonomija tagħna jintefaq fuq proġetti bla sens li ma jsolvu l-ebda problema u jżidu t-tniġġis u l-konġestjoni. Hija wkoll tal-misthija li per eżempju għad m’hemmx ħjiel ta’ strateġija nazzjonali serja għar-roti u roti elettriċi.”
“Huwa tajjeb li l-gvern ħareġ skema fuq ix-xiri ta’ roti u vetturi elettriċi. Dawn kienu pjuttost popolari u nemmnu li l-investiment għandu jiżdied fis-snin li ġejjin. Tajjeb ukoll li sar investiment f’trasport pubbliku b’xejn għaż-żagħżagħ, pero dan mhux biżżejjed biex iżid il-kwalita’ ta’ dan is-servizz u b’hekk inaqqas id-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi. Hemm bzonn li l-Gvern jikkunsidra serjament u malajr kemm jista’ jkun sistema ta’ Bus Rapid Transit tul arterji prinċipali u fuq rotot apposta.”
“Filwaqt illi nifmhu li hemm bżonn ta’ aġġustament tat-toroq f’ċertu każijiet, nemmnu li l-prijorita’ għandha tkun li nnaqsu d-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi u nżidu l-mobilita’ sostenibbli. Is-sitwazzjoni preżenti turi biċ-ċar illi l-gvern qiegħed jipprepara lill-pajjiżna għal iktar karozzi u qed jagħmel ftit li xejn biex iħejji mezzi oħrajn tat-trasport. Nemmnu li l-investiment fis-settur tat-trasport jista’ jkun sostenibbli biss jekk jiżżewweġ ma’ investiment f’mezzi alternattivi u nodfa ta’ trasport.”
***
No longterm vision and strategy on clean, sustainable transport – ADŻ
ADŻ Chairperson James Gabaretta said that while government is spending hundreds of millions of euros on large road infrastructure projects., ADŻ (Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħażagħ) insists that such large scale investment is not addressing the root causes of the traffic which our country is facing.
“Such traffic stems, from the almost absolute dependence on cars as the main mode of transport. We believe that the government should divest from car-centric projects and infrastructure, and should invest more in sustainable mobility. Such alternatives included providing a more robust and functional public transport system; improving accessibility and safety for cycling and motorbikes. These measures should also be coupled with a serious revision of the use of our roads including providing priority lanes and pedestrianised areas.”
“The compulsive investment in car use does not go well with investing in a sustainable future. Malta has the highest rates of obesity in the European Union and marked the greatest increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) this past year. These two are strongly related to a car dominated mobility. Latest reports show that the air quality is decreasing as a result of increasing vehicle emissions. Therefore, we believe that multi-million-euro investment in road infrastructure development cannot be sustainable unless coupled with equal or greater investment in alternative uses of transport are taken into consideration.”
“The loss of highly scarce arable land to road development, congestion in urban zones, the chopping down of trees in almost every urban area; and finally the increase of emissions, do not indicate sustainable decisions. On the other hand, ADŻ is aware that mobility plays a central role in a country with a vibrant economy. This is the reason why ADŻ is calling on the Government of Malta to invest in more sustainable transport rather than more tarmac and the widening roads. By this we mean investment in alternatives to car-dependence. While we to commend the government’s investment in subsidies for electric vehicles and electric bicycles, a scheme which is rather popular, it is nowhere near the millions upon millions spent on car-centred policies. Similarly the government’s move to provide free public transport for young people is commendable, as it is an investment in youth mobility but does very little to improve the level of service, which is desperately needed. Public transport should be given priority on the roads. We also urge the government to seriously and urgently consider a Bus Rapid Transit system along major arteries and on specific routes.”
“In conclusion, whilst we understand that roads need to be maintained and upgraded in certain cases, we believe that multi-million euro investments in such projects only make sense when coupled with massive investment in alternative and sustainable means of transport. A holistic plan for our transport system is sorely needed. It does not make any sense to spend a large portion of our countries’ wealth on such car-centric and traffic inducing projects, whilst other strategies, such as encouraging the use of bicycles on our roads is only afforded token attention and investment.”