Transport Malta plans increase in bike and car sharing to curb traffic
Transport Malta is encouraging entrepreneurs to contribute ideas for bike and car sharing initiatives in a bid to reduce congestion. The organisation hopes to offer a fleet of vehicles, largely electric, in specific car-sharing spots, which users would be able to rent though the internet. Malta’s poor infrastructure, inadequate public transport and a cultural fondness for cars has led to issues of traffic. The problem has led to calls for the government to reduce its employee transport to a shared system.

As the Maltese public confronts the daily struggle to cope with the weight of traffic on congested roads, Transport Malta and individual entrepreneurs have belatedly turned their focus on small but practical initiatives which, taken cumulatively, might serve to alleviate some of the worst aspects of the problem.

The dire straits in which Malta’s drivers now find themselves have long been predicted. A combination of poor infrastructure, an inadequate public transport system, a Maltese obsession with the motorcar and a reluctance to use alternative and healthier means of transport have resulted in near-gridlock at certain times of the day.

While improving the infrastructure and investing in alternative public transport means will take several years to complete, there are a number of fairly inexpensive, self-help improvements that are not only possible but also relatively easy to organise and implement. What is needed is the political will and a public change of attitude.

Transport Malta has called on entrepreneurs to submit ideas for a national, app-based car-sharing programme. The scheme envisages having a fleet of vehicles parked in designated car-sharing spots which users would be able to rent through a web-based application. At least half the vehicle fleet would be composed of electric vehicles, thus also striking a blow for ecologically-clean transport.

This seems a commendable and cost-effective initiative, which should hold considerable attraction to those who only need to use their cars infrequently and who resent the high operational overheads of keeping a car permanently on the road.

But it is a concept that should be more widely applied. If car sharing were properly introduced – for example, by charging a punitive congestion charge for any car entering Valletta or Floriana with only one passenger in it – this should lead to a reduction of traffic at peak hours.

In the same spirit of car-sharing schemes, there were a number of interesting proposals at the Nationalist Party’s general council meeting a few months ago which should be pursued.

It was suggested, for example, that direct transport for the government’s thousands of employees should be organised from certain villages or towns, thus hugely reducing the number of single driver vehicles now clogging up the roads. The same scheme could also be adopted by large firms. The concept of car sharing requires a change of attitude. It is an attempt to change behaviour to persuade people to do things differently for altruistic, as well as practical, reasons.

Hard on the heels of Transport Malta’s proposal for a national, app-based, car-sharing fleet of vehicles, a firm calling itself Nextbike Malta is setting up the first bike-sharing system on the island. This will start operating shortly in 10 localities with almost one station every 400 metres. The low-cost rentals will be charged in blocks of 30 minutes.

It remains to be seen whether the scheme will have an impact on the morning or evening rush-hour congestion but it should certainly help hugely in keeping cars off the road in those areas where Nextbike operates as well as, most importantly, encouraging people to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. It is an initiative deserving widespread support.

There is no instant solution to Malta’s appalling traffic congestion. However, incremental improvements to alleviate the daily weight of traffic on our roads by well organised car-sharing and bike-sharing schemes, more incentives to walk to work or to shop, the possible introduction of free buses to encourage commuters to swap their cars for public transport are capable, in combination, of making a significant difference.