This morning, three organisations – Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, and Rota – put up banners over gridlock traffic in Marsa and Msida to highlight the major shortcomings in our transport infrastructure. The situation dealt to us by the authorities is leading to excessive car dependence, congestion and pollution experienced by the nation everyday as a direct result.

Bearing the words “Prijorità nies, mhux karozzi” (Prioritise people, not cars) the organisations’ banners criticise incessant prioritisation of private car use over safer, more inclusive, and sustainable transport.

This broken model has led to more car traffic, with almost 40 cars added to our roads every day, and an alarming number of road accidents; 2022 shattered records with 26 people killed and hundreds suffering grievous injuries over the year. Since pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable commuters in dangerous roads, these statistics do not promote the voluntary uptake of active travel. Ironically, big infrastructural projects across the island have failed to abate traffic congestion, unsurprising to experts in the field who have been warning of the problem of induced demand.

Additionally, the construction of new and widened roads has seen a massive loss in agricultural or otherwise water permeable land, exacerbating flooding, food security concerns, and climate related issues, and the emissions from increased private car use have both environmental and human health impacts.

The organisations are pushing to recognise the need of more socially just transport infrastructure, where 

• children and adults are safe when travelling on foot or by bicycle on efficient and pleasant routes, 

• public transport services, such as buses and ferries, are reliable and serve the diverse needs of the public and not the financial whims of private investors, 

• and more urban space is dedicated to communities rather than to the stowing of private vehicles. 

Moreover, car ownership should not be a necessity and a burdening cost, with those who cannot afford a private vehicle made to feel socially marginalised by our transport infrastructure. We are therefore reiterating our demands to the relevant authorities to start implementing bold and necessary steps to resolve what has fast become a national crisis.

Dalgħodu tliet organizzazzjonijiet – Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta u Rota – dendlu żewġ banners fuq it-traffiku miġmugħ ġewwa l-Marsa u l-Imsida biex jiġbdu l-attenzjoni tal-pubbliku għan-nuqqasijiet kbar fl-infrastruttura tat-trasport. Dawn in-nuqqasijiet huma frott id-deċiżjonijiet ħżiena tal-awtoritajiet u qed iwasslu għal dipendenza assoluta fuq il-karozza privata, konġestjoni kontinwa u tniġġis tal-arja.

Bil-messaġġ “Prijorità nies, mhux karozzi” l-organizzazzjonijiet qegħdin jikkritikaw l-ipprijotizzar tal-karozza privata fuq sistemi ta’ trasport inklussivi, sostenibbli u sikuri. Dan il-mudell sfaxxat wassal għaż-żieda ta’ kważi 40 karozza kuljum matul is-sena li għaddiet u numru allarmanti ta’ inċidenti tat-traffiku. Is-sena li għaddiet kisret ir-rikordji kollha b’26 persuna maqtula  fit-toroq tagħna u mijiet oħra li spiċċaw bi ġrieħi gravi. Iċ-ċiklisti u n-nies bil-pass huma l-iktar nies vulnerabbli f’toroq perikolużi, u dawn l-istatistiċi xejn ma jinkoraġġixxu t-tranżizzjoni volontarja tan-nies lejn mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport.

Ironikament, il-proġetti infrastrutturali mifruxa mal-pajjiż fallew milli jtaffu l-problema tal-konġestjoni. Dan minħabba l-effett ta’ żieda fid-domanda li wissew dwaru l-esperti fil-qasam.

Il-kostruzzjoni u t-twessiegħ tat-toroq wasslu wkoll sabiex tlifna meded kbar ta’ art agrikola u permeabbli għall-ilma tax-xita, li jirriżultaw f’għargħar, problemi fis-sigurtà tal-ikel, u problemi assoċjati mat-tibdil fil-klima, flimkien ma’ emissjonijiet li għandhom danni sanitarji u ambjentali.

It-tliet organizzazzjonijiet qegħdin jinsistu li jiġi rikonoxxut il-bżonn għal infrastruttura tat-trasport soċjalment inklussiva fejn

• il-membri kollha tal-komunità, inklużi t-tfal, iħossuhom kunfidenti u sikuri jivvjaġġaw bil-mixi jew bir-rota fuq rotot effiċjenti u pjaċevoli; 

• it-trasport pubbliku, bħall-laneċ u tal-linja, ikunu fil-ħin u jservu l-bżonnijiet diversi tal-komunità, u mhux l-interessi tal-kummerċ; 

• u fejn l-ispazji fil-qalba tal-lokalitajiet tagħna jkunu għall-komunitajiet flok għall-parkeġġ. 

Barra minn hekk, ħadd ma għandu jħossu obbligat li jinvesti f’karozza għaliex inkella jiffaċċja r-riskju li jiġi soċjalment marġinalizzat bl-infrastruttura tat-trasport ta’ pajjiżna. Għalhekk, qed nerġgħu ntennu t-talbiet tagħna lill-awtoritajiet rilevanti sabiex jieħdu l-passi neċessarji biex isewwu dak li s’issa ħolqu fi kriżi nazzjonali.