Il-proposti tal-Ministru għat-Trasport għall-mobilità u t-trasport huma proposti li jraqqgħu l-pannu bil-qara’ aħmar. Dan minħabba nuqqas ta’ ħsieb li jwassal għal implimentazzjoni ta’ miżuri nofs kedda, li ma jmurx xi ħadd igerger. Skemi li jroxxu l-bżar ma jwasslu mkien: magħhom irid ikun hemm ukoll miżuri b’penalitajiet. Il-politika tagħna hija dik li tagħti lura lill-pajjiż għall-ġid ta’ kulħadd, mhux waħda li tinkoraġġixxi l-egoiżmu. Dan qaluh kelliema tal-ADPD – The Green Party waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet fi Fleur-De-Lys dalgħodu.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar qal li t-tniġġis mit-trasport huwa kontributur ewlieni kemm għal effetti ħżiena ħafna fuq is-saħħa tan-nies u anke għal emissjonijiet diversi li jagħtu kontribut biex tkompli takkumula l-ħsara lill-klima. Il-vetturi jokkupaw l-akbar ammont ta’ spazju fil-lokalitajiet tagħna speċjalment f’dawk li l-aktar li jiġbdu traffiku lejhom fil-ħinijiet tax-xogħol. L-ispazju pubbliku minflok m’huwa qed jintuża għat-tgawdija tar-residenti u tan-nies qed jiġi okkupat mill-vetturi. Saħansitra anke parti minn skola sekondarja fil-Ħamrun inbidlet f’parkeġġ, u minflok jistħu u jaħbu dan jiftaħru b’din il-miżura bħallikieku hija xi idea brillanti. Lanqas m’hemm ħlas għal dal-parkeġġ, biex b’hekk l-iskola qed titlef biss u lanqas tgħid qed iddaħħal xi ħaġa żejda biex tintuża għall-ġid tal-iskola u tal-istudenti. Sa dawn il-bassezzi wasalna fil-politika zoppa tat-trasport. Politika li tara sal-ponta ta’ mneħirha, tax-xiri sfaċċat tal-vot tan-nies, tal-inkoraġġiment tal-egoiżmu, u tad-dilettantiżmu. Il-manifest elettorali tal-Partit Laburista għandu sezzjoni fuq żero-karbonju, imma lanqas ħaqq il-karta li huwa stampat fuqha, għax sa ftit kliem ejja ħa mmorru jaslu.

Dr Cassar qal li l-proposti ta’ ADPD-The Green Party fuq din il-materja huma ċari. Illum qed niffokaw fuq t-trasport fuq l-art, jew ‘commuting’. Għandu jkun hemm sforz iffokat biex speċjalment fl-aktar żoni traffikużi jonqos fihom it-traffiku bin-nofs permezz ta’ numru ta’ miżuri prattiċi:

1. Fuq perjodu ta’ żmien mhux itwal minn sitt xhur jieqaf is-sussidju fuq il-petrol u diesel. Jibda jitħallas il-prezz tas-suq. Din il-miżura waħedha tnaqqas numru ta’ karozzi mit-toroq għax in-nies jimmoderaw u jnaqqsu s-sewqan għal xejn;

2. Ma tibqax tingħata prijorità lill-karozzi bil-kostruzzjoni ta’ toroq ġodda li għax jagħmilha iktar faċli li tuża l-karozza, minnha nnifisha tinkoragixxi dejjem iktar karozzi fit-triq. Dan kif qed naraw b’għajnejna stess wara li tlestew numru ta’ proġetti li ma solvew xejn;

3. Prijorità assoluta fit-toroq lejn destinazzjonijiet traffikużi lill-mezzi tat-trasport pubbliku, u konnessjonijiet regolari minn żoni ta’ park-and-ride. Il-’bus priority corridors’ huma parti mill-Masteplan tat-Trasport ikkummisjonat mill-gvern li qatt ma twettqu. L-ispazju għandu jittieħed mill-vetturi u jmur għall-użu tat-trasport tal-massa. Dawn iż-żoni jinkludu l-Belt Valletta, Tas-Sliema, il-Gżira, L-Imsida, Ta’ Xbiex, San Ġiljan, Raħal Ġdid, il-Marsa, l-Ħamrun, Birkirkara, l-Mosta u San Pawl il-Baħar. Għandu jkun hemm programm massiv ta’ pedestrijanizazzjoni u l-parkeġġi fit-triq li jibqa’ jkunu ta’ prijorità għar-residenti;

4. Il-gvern għandu jara li jwettaq rotot sikuri u kontinwi għar-roti, roti elettriċi u anke scooters bejn hubs prinċipali speċjalment lejn skejjel, kulleġġi u istituzzjonijiet edukattivi kbar biex isseħħ bidla kulturali fit-trasport. Dan flimkien ma’ rotot sikuri tul it-toroq arterjali kollha. Mhux aċċettabbli aktar li l-ispazju kollu, ħlief għad-daħqa fil-wiċċ ta’ madwar metru jew nofs metru bankina jittieħed mill-vetturi. Kull aġevolazzjoni finanzjarja għandha ssir biss lil dak li jużaw mezzi nodfa ta’ trasport. L-investiment fl-infrastruttura u fis-sigurtà għal dawn il-mezzi alternattivi huwa essenzjali biex jiżdied l-użu tagħhom. Għandhom isiru bidliet fil-liġi biex jidħol ir-reat kriminali speċifiku ta’ omiċidju (u feriment) b’vettura biex ikun ċar u tond li vettura hija wkoll arma letali u perikoluża jekk tintuża ħażin. Is-sospensjoni permanenti tal-liċenzja tas-sewqan għal min isuq b’mod perikoluż għandha ssir in-norma;

5. Bus Rapid Transit – għandu minnufih tkun pjanata sistema ta’ karreġġjati separati riservati esklussivament u permanentament għal karozzi tal-linja speċifiċi. BRT li tuża vetturi nodfa u kbar li kapaċi jġorru numru kbir ta’ persuni tul ir-rotot u arterji prinċipali tal-pajjiż kollu. Il-BRT titqies bħala sistema ta’ ‘light rail’ fuq ir-roti. Is-sistema tal-linja ‘regolari’ għandha tagħmel konnessjonijiet tal-lokalitajiet kollha mas-sistema BRT. L-istess il-park-and-ride ikunu konnessi mas-sistema BRT. Is-soluzzjoni hija li jitnaqqas l-ispazju għall-vetturi u jmur lejn is-sistema BRT fuq l-arterji kollha li jgħaqqdu l-pajjiż. BRT hija sistema ħafna irħas minn xi ħolm fl-arja ta’ metro u tista’ ssir fi ftit snin minflok f’għexieren ta’ snin.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li l-proposti tal-Ministru għat-Trasport għall-mobilità u t-trasport, filwaqt li hemm xi proposti li ma tistax ma taqbilx magħhom, bħal per eżempju żieda ta’ rotot tat-trasport pubbliku, u żieda bit-trasport bil-baħar, huma miżgħuda bi proposti li huma ntiżi biex iroxxu l-flejjes mingħajr ma hemm imbottatura bis-serjetà lejn miżuri li verament ikollhom effett u jbiddlu l-mod kif nivjaġġaw f’dal-pajjiż.

L-għoti ta’ 15-il miljun Euro biex suppost jonqsu 2,500 karozza mit-toroq huwa żejt fil-bażwa. M’hemm l-ebda mod kif jiġi żgurat li dawn il-karozzi kienu qed jintużaw kuljum. In-numru fi kwalunkwe każ huwa żgħir għall-ammont li se joħroġ il-gvern. Jekk għandu jiġi premjat xi ħadd huma n-nies li qed jużaw u jridu jużaw mezzi oħra tat-trasport.

Kemm-il kilometru ta’ rotot urbani sikuri għar-roti jsiru bi 15-il miljun Euro? Kemm-il vjaġġ addizzjonali b’tal-linja jew bil-baħar jistgħu jsiru bi 15-il miljun Euro? L-istess rigward il-park-and-ride. Fuq il-karta parti mis-soluzzjoni, imma dawn il-faċilitajiet iridu jitmexxew tajjeb, u jrid ikun hemm miżuri li jobbligaw lis-sewwieqa jużaw dal-faċilitajiet. Ta’ xejn ikollok park-and-ride jekk xorta tħalli parking bl-addoċċ fid-destinazzjoni aħħarija. Jekk xorta t-toroq kollha jibqgħu aċċessibbli għall-vetturi, u jekk xorta tħalli aċċess ħieles f’kull ħin fid-destinazzjoni finali. Il-gvern mhux serju u ma jridx jaqbad il-barri minn qrunu f’dan il-qasam.

Gauci qalet li il-proposti tal-Ministru tat-Trasport Chris Bonnett u tal-gvern jippruvaw iraqqgħu l-pannu bil-qara’ aħmar. Il-ħinijiet tal-ġbir tal-iskart, il-park-and-ride f’iżolament u affarijiet oħra jtaffu xi ftit il-problema, imma l-vera problema tibqa’ l-ammont kbir ta’ karozzi li jgorru biss lis-sewwieq fit-toroq. Il-veru problema huma l-mard u t-tniġġis. Il-veru problema huwa gvern li bħal ta’ qablu ma jridx jaqbad il-barri minn qrunu. Min m’għandux il-konvinzjoni u l-fibra li jagħmel il-bidla neċessarja għax jibża’ minn ċerti nies, ma nafux x’qed jagħmel fit-tmexxija. Analiżi tas-sistemi ta’ BRT, juri li s-suċċess tas-sistemi fi bliet mifnija bit-traffiku bħal f’Amiens, Metz, Pau u Lyon fi Franza, u f’Seoul fil-Korea t’Isfel fost bliet oħra, seħħ minħabba viżjoni politika soda u konvinta mill-bidla neċessarja. Fejn il-politiċi jippreferu l-istatus quo, kull bidla u sistema tfalli. Wisq nibżgħu li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar il-gvern Malti wkoll irid l-istatus quo, b’implimentazzjoni ta’ miżuri nofs kedda biex ma jmurx xi ħadd igerger, temmet tgħid Gauci.

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Transport: Half-baked measures won’t get us anywhere

The proposals put forward by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works for improved mobility are in reality costly schemes that do not offer any serious incentives for us to travel in this country.  The proposals are simply a superficial attempt to address the problems so that the Ministry would appear to be doing something. Our policies encourage the common good and actually give something back to the country, rather than encouraging egoism, stated speakers for ADPD – The Green Party during a news conference in Fleur-De-Lys this morning.

The Secretary General for ADPD-The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar said that pollution from transport is a major contributor to serious health problems, as well as contribute to climate change.  Vehicles also take up a significant amount of space in our localities, especially those which attract the most traffic during working hours. The politics of transport is so bad that a part of a secondary school in Ħamrun has been transformed into a parking area, and instead of feeling ashamed authorities trumpet this as if it were the greatest idea ever conceived.  In addition, this parking is free of charge, meaning that the school is not even being compensated for this loss or receiving any funds to be used for the benefit of the school and its pupils. This is the pathetic situation that half-baked policy measures have put us in.  It reveals a political class that is short-sighted, that considers politics as giving in to egoistic demands, and as a bare-faced vote buying exercise. The Labour Party’s electoral manifesto had included a section on zero-carbon measures, but it is not worth the paper it is printed on, as they are all talk and no action.

Dr Cassar said that the ADPD-The Green Party proposals are clear. Today we are focusing on land transport and commuting. There is the need for greater focus on zones that are the most impacted by traffic and policies should aim to reducing the traffic volume by half. Our clear, workable and effective proposals are:

1. Over a period of time of not more than six months subsidies on petrol and diesel should be phased out. The market price should be paid for fossil fuels. This measure will reduce cars on the roads immediately by making people moderate and reduce their car use;
2. The construction of new roads should not remain a priority. New roads induce demand and actually increase traffic. It is obvious that new road projects have not solved anything;
3. Public transport – Giving absolute priority to public transport on our roads, with regular connecting trips from and to the park-and-ride zones. More space on our roads should be taken away from private vehicle for the use of mass public transport. Government’s own Transport Masterplan mentions ‘bus priority corridors’ which were never implemented. Zones seeing heavy traffic which need to be turned into public transport priority zones include localities such as Valletta, Tas-Sliema, Il-Gżira and L-Imsida, Ta’ Xbiex, San Ġiljan, Paola, Il-Marsa, Il-Ħamrun, Birkirkara and San Pawl il-Baħar. There should be a massive nationwide programme of pedestrianisation, and the remaining on street parking should be a priority for residents;
4. Use of bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters – The government needs to invest in safe, secure, and continuous bicycle lanes for the use of bicycles, electric bikes, as well as scooters, on all main roads leading to schools, colleges and other educational institutions to kickstart a cultural change in transport.  This, in tandem with routes along all major arteries connecting the whole country.  It is no longer acceptable for vehicles to take up practically all the space.  Any financial incentive should be reserved for those who make use of clean means of transport.  However, it is necessary to invest in infrastructure that is suitable and safe for this kind of transport. Changes need to be made to the laws to make vehicular homicide and injury a specific crime. Cars can be lethal weapons, and laws and their enforcement should reflect this. The loss of a driving license for dangerous driving should become the norm;
5. Bus Rapid Transit – with immediate effect, a system of lanes exclusively reserved and designed for special buses for a BRT system should be introduced, using vehicles running on clean energy. These buses should be large enough for a substantial number of passengers. The local ‘regular’ bus system should be connected to the BRT system. Park-and-ride zones should also be connected to the BRT lines. The solution is to allocate space on major arteries exclusively for the BRT system, making it a ‘light rail on wheels’, which does not get stuck in other vehicular traffic. BRT systems are a much cheaper alternative to the metro, and can implemented in a few years as opposed to decades.

ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said whilst there are some proposals offered by the Transport Minister which are good, such as an increase in routes for public transport and the use of marine passenger transport, the proposals are mainly costly schemes that do not offer any serious incentives for us to use more environmentally-friendly travel in this country.  Giving 15 million Euro away to reduce a measly 2500 vehicles from the road is a waste.  Firstly, there is no guarantee that these cars were actually being used on a daily basis and thus no means of knowing that their removal would have any tangible effect, and secondly, the number is too small for the money spent by the government; thirdly, if anybody should be rewarded it should be people who are using alternative means of transport.  How many secure bike lanes can be constructed for 15 million Euro? How many additional journeys by bus or by sea can be made by investing 15 million Euro?  The same goes for the park-and-ride schemes. On paper, this sounds good, but in reality, these facilities need to be properly managed, and there is the need for measures obliging drivers to use these facilities.  It is useless to have a park-and-ride if it is still possible to park at the final destination, and if access to the final destination is open to all vehicles at all times. The government is not serious and does not want to take the bull by the horns.

Gauci said that the proposals put forward by the Transport Minister Chris Bonnett are insufficient.  The garbage collection times, the park-and-ride system and other initiatives may have some minor impact, but the real problem is the considerable number of cars on the road. The real problem is health problems and pollution.  The strength and conviction to tackle the problem is lacking due to a fear of treading on the toes of some sectors of society. When looking at BRT systems in places like Amiens, Metz, Pau and Lyon in France, and in Seoul in South Korea, these became a success story because of a sound political vision and the true conviction for change. Cities that failed to invest in high quality transport services and refused to take the necessary measures to reassign road space to alternative means of transport, failed because of political pressure to maintain the status quo. We are afraid that the Maltese government is also keen to maintain the status quo, by implementing half-baked proposals that will not have any major impact on the current problem, concluded Gauci.