Discussions with the business community on the government’s plan for an efficient public transport system and traffic mitigation

The Transport Ministry met with the Chamber of Commerce and a number of representatives from the commercial community as part of a series of stakeholder meetings on the topic of public transport and navigating the ‘peak hour’.

The discussion centred around the Government’s plan to address traffic challenges in our country and the ways that public transport can become more efficient and a realistic alternative.

Minister Aaron Farrugia explained that these meetings, titled ‘Deċiżjoni b’direzzjoni: djalogu dwar trasport u mobilità’, led by consultant and academic Prof. Gordon Sammut, are expected to bear fruit as they are involving all stakeholders.

“The Ministry and its experts are looking beyond partisan discussions and working to ensure that stakeholders are protagonists in the reasoning, planning, and form part of the solutions to these much-needed changes,” Minister Farrugia said.

During this meeting President Marisa Xuereb together with Dr Marthese Portelli, CEO of The Malta Chamber, put forward a number of proposals for the Government’s consideration, amongst which the introduction of an e-mobility wallet concept which would help bring about a modal shift from private cars to shared mobility through the introduction of parking fees which would be credited back to one’s e-mobility wallet to be used on shared mobility, mass transport, bikes, ferries and other modes of transport which help to decongest roads.

The Malta Chamber said that “traffic mitigation is an issue that we have been working on proactively through a number of proposals that we put forward for Government’s consideration, after listening to our members’ concerns.”

While taking note of all the comments by the participants, the Minister asked the Chamber of Commerce to put forward their own formal proposals in the near future.