Malta roads and transport get a facelift

Ever since the islands joined the EU in May 2004, there has been a total drive by the government to address the most evident tangibles when it comes to infrastructural projects whether this included sustainable development, added value for the tourism product, roads or transport issues.
The Malta Transport Authority (ADT) was set up in 2001 following the enactment of the Malta Transport Authority Act [XXIII of 2000]. The authority has a semi autonomous operation, being directly responsible to the Ministry for Urban Developments and Roads, although having some degree of independence.

A number of transport related projects are being undertaken by the government to fulfill their election promise to provide a better quality of life for the local resident and visitor.

Since 2003, there had been a plan to create a Park and Ride area outside the walls of the Capital, Valletta, as one solution to ease the congestion of traffic in this World Heritage Town. The Malta Environmental Planning Authority (MEPA) has already pledged some ВЈm270,000 out of funds gathered from the Commuted Parking Payment Scheme (CPPS) to be used in the Park and Ride Project. The project should see some 38 percent less traffic on the roads into Valletta at peak times. A fleet of electric powered buses will carry commuters from the Park and Ride site at the Horns Ditch Works, part of the old city fortifications that were used as a container storage depot during the seventies, to Valletta. These works should be complete by May 2006.

Some 30 million euros from the Fifth Italo Maltese Financial Protocol have been allocated for projects on some of the islands roads, this year. The works have already been identified and work is underway and should be complete by December 2005.

But ADT is also undertaking a number of socially responsible projects such as the recent introduction of a mobile SMS number for citizens to report any incidence of excessive emissions by vehicles from the exhausts; resurfacing projects as well as the continuous upgrade of the Public Transport Service which includes a number of new routes.

Among the objectives outlined for the ADT are two particular functions that include the management and regularization of the Public Transport System, primarily made up of a fleet of privately owned buses.В 

By Julian Zarb

VALLETTA, Malta (eTurboNews)

September 30, 2005   Posted in: Malta