OK, so I think I’ve already ranted enough about this topic in my “38 New Vehicles A Day On Malta’s Roads” post. I still believe that a drastic change is needed when it comes to cars and driving in Malta.
An article about the same subject was published on the Times of Malta website early this morning. Here are some more detailed, worrisome statistics about the current, and near future situation in our country:
- Average car occupancy on weekdays has decreased from 1.33 in 1990 to 1.25 in 2014.
- The average degree of utilisation of public transport during peak hours is 73 per cent in the morning and 50 per cent in the afternoon.
- Malta has the highest road density in the EU, with 762 kilometres of roads per 100 square kilometres.
- Rush hour traffic flows, which have increased by 55 per cent since 1990, could soar by a further 12.8 per cent by 2025
- At present, the average ride time for bus users is 22 minutes at an average speed of 15km/h during peak hours, roughly 33 per cent slower than private cars.
- By 2025, the average bus speeds will decline to 13 km/h during peak hours, unless transport policy changes are implemented.
- Traffic flows are mainly concentrated along the centre of the so-called trans-European transport networks (Ten-T) in the harbour region. The Addolorata Cemetery junction, Ħamrun bypass, Santa Venera tunnels and Tal-Qroqq junction are all situated along this route. Though this stretch only accounts for four per cent of the national road system, it takes 38 per cent of vehicular mobility. The report warns that, by 2025, this section will experience a six per cent increase in traffic during the morning rush hour.
- “Without appropriate mitigation measures, the bottleneck along this section of the Ten-T will challenge sustainable mobility in the greater part of the island, resulting in lost economic production, increased air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution,” the study warns.
– Preston Carbonaro
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20161027/local/cars-outpacing-population-growth.629178
See. Think. Write. 
Leave a comment