PN blasts ‘failure’ of traffic roadmap as air pollution increases

Marthese Portelli warns that CO2 emissions in Malta increased by 2.5% last year, compared with an average 5% decline across the EU

The Nationalist Party has hit out at the government for “failing” to stick to its roadmap to reduce traffic on the roads.

“Traffic has now become the public’s biggest headache,” shadow transport minister Marthese Portelli said in a statement. “The government should implement its famous roadmap to reduce traffic, or at least to stop it increasing.”

Recent Eurostat statistics show that carbon dioxide emissions increased by 2.5% in Malta last year when compared with 2013, behind only Bulgaria (+7.1%) and Cyprus (+3.5%). On average, carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 5% across the EU.

Portelli linked this emission increase to the increase in traffic on the roads.

“This is a consequence of the increase in traffic,” Portelli said.