Updated | Government to launch 'tidal system' pilot project to address traffic jams

[LIVE-BLOG] MPs agree to hold impromptu debate on worsening traffic situation • Transport Minister Joe Mizzi abroad • Government to experiment with 'tidal system'

A heated discussion between the two sides of the House during the time allocated for parliamentary questions led to the government and opposition to agree on an impromptu debate on the congestion of traffic.

Just 15 minutes before this evening’s parliament sitting started, the Opposition presented a motion urging the House to discuss the issue.

During the PQ time, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said he was “amazed” at how the motion presented by the Opposition “lacked proposals”. Off mic, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was heard telling Opposition leader Simon Busuttil that he was ready to hold the discussion this evening.

Busuttil immediately accepted the call, even though the debate will end without a vote.

During his intervention, Muscat announced that the government would embark on a pilot project - known as the 'tidal system'. The project would see lanes opening up in one direction, and then the other, according to the demands of traffic.

"For example, a road could have three lanes pointing south and one lane pointing north in the morning, and the reverse in the afternoon."

Parliament was suspended for a few minutes to allow both sides to prepare for the debate. Follow the live-blog here:

21:21 The debate is over. Thank you for following us. Miriam Dalli
21:19 PN MP Kristy Debono reiterated that the traffic problem marred Malta’s image. She pointed out that several were missing their hospital appointments because of the traffic congestion.

Once again, it was pointed out that there had been no improvement in the provision of the public transport services while commuters still complained of faulty tallinja cards.

She urged the Transport Minister to publish the contract signed with Autobuses de Leon.

Miriam Dalli
21:11 PN MP Censu Galea pointed out that “thousands of children” attending kindergarten lessons are driven to school by their parents. “Parents have no other option if school transport is not provided.”

Galea said Transport Malta had repeatedly missed deadlines on a number of road works, while other projects were hastened due to the upcoming GHOGM and Valletta Summit.

Miriam Dalli
21:04 Counting the number of MPs currently in the House ... seven. Miriam Dalli
20:55 Other interventions by PN MP Toni Bezzina, parliamentary secretaries Jose Herrera and Roderick Galdes and Labour MP Silvio Parnis, followed. Miriam Dalli
20:38 Taking the floor, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit said the motion presented by PN was misleading because it did not give a true picture of the economic situation.

Zammit Lewis accused the Opposition of trying to score political points,

“Our economic performance is doing really well but there is no doubt that we have to work more on traffic. But this motion,” he said, waving the papers in his hand, “does nothing to help. It makes incorrect statements and tries to underline issues which have long been with us.”

Miriam Dalli
20:29 Further interventions were made by Labour MP Joe Sammut, PN MP Antoine Borg and parliamentary secretary Ian Borg. Miriam Dalli
20:05 The Opposition leader was booed by the government MPs after he suggested further ways to encourage the use of bicycles. Busuttil has set up a working group within his party to study the traffic problem and draft suggestions which would be presented by the Opposition.

“We are giving this issue political priority.”

Miriam Dalli
19:58 The Opposition leader said the government was being criticized not because of the traffic problem but because of the worsening of the situation.

“Imagine what would have happened if Sunday’s accident took place on another day,” he said, adding that the traffic congestion had both social and economical impacts.

“I have my doubts on the number of people who will accept a monorail passing above their roofs.”

Busuttil said that the public transport remained a joke: “Ask the commuters themselves whether the service has improved.”

He also claimed that the traffic problem had exposed “a rift” between Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Transport Minister Joe Mizzi.

Miriam Dalli
19:47 Busuttil says the extent of the traffic problem in Malta meant that commuters spent 10 hours per week (from Monday to Friday) stuck in traffic. Miriam Dalli
19:46 Opposition leader Simon Busuttil takes the floor: "Traffic is not a perception, but a reality and our citizens' main concern." Miriam Dalli
19:45 During his intervention, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo reassured that schoolchildren will not be asked to wake up an hour earlier. Miriam Dalli
19:45 Muscat claimed there were conflicting arguments on the use of scooters, with one school of thought saying it would alleviate traffic, while others say it would create further congestions due to traffic accident.

“We will be addressing a number of issues relating to traffic in next week’s budget.”

Miriam Dalli
19:32 “There is an increase in cars on the road and there are also more infrastructural projects underway – both private and public. The traffic problem will continue to increase if we don’t act now.

“We can’t forget from where we started because we would be undermining the whole debate. There is a collective call for a holistic plan and the Opposition is right. But I also ask, where was this plan for the past 25 years? We are starting from zero.

Muscat said the country needed better roads and improved infrastructure to cater for the cars. There was the need for more parking spaces, but conceded this would further encourage the use of cars. He said, the infrastructure was not up to standards and roads works such as the one at Coast Road and the planned works for the Kappara and Marsa junctions were needed.

“Works on the Kappara junction will create further inconvenience. So what do we do? We discard the works?”

Muscat also pointed out that there was a problem even with how the contract department issued contracts for road works: the same contractor would apply for different works, win multiple contractors only for that same contractor working at a stretch to keep up with the works.

He also said that a tax rebate promised in Budget 2015 for parents who make use of school transport “was taken up by operators”.

Statistics show that an average of 40 cars were bought every day over the past two years and a half.

Miriam Dalli
19:18 Next up is Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who says the government was “serious” about addressing the traffic problem. Miriam Dalli
19:15 She also hit out at the Transport Minister for even failing to attend a public discussion organized by university students on public transport.

Porteli said the government was discouraging people from using pedelecs while more should be done to encourage teleworking. Road works, she added, were being carried out without any proper planning. Miriam Dalli

19:10 Portelli said traffic congestion increased pollution, which negatively affects people’s health. She said that a traffic plan should be properly drafted studying not only the causes but how the effectively address it.

Portelli said it was “insensitive” of the government to keep repeating that the traffic problem has been going on for years. She said, that the public transport service was not operating as it should. Miriam Dalli

19:04 Second speaker is shadow transport minister Marthese Portelli who said it is time to think outside the box. She added that when politicians talk about traffic they do so “because they can feel the citizens’ pain”.

“We are not politicizing the issue,” she said, as she listed a long list of people who were suffering because of the traffic – including delivery persons, people who were going out just to buy the essentials and students. Miriam Dalli

19:01 Transport Minister Joe Mizzi is not in the House. Miriam Dalli
19:00 “My appeal is for us to hold a mature discussion,” Bonnici said. Miriam Dalli
18:59 The ‘extraordinary’ debate is being held following a motion presented by the Nationalist Party. Bonnici said he has studied the motion presented by the PN and “the lack of proposals are a sign of weakness”. Miriam Dalli
18:57 Opening the debate, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici talked about alternative methods of transport and says that the government is handling the mess left by former transport minister Austin Gatt.

“But a missed opportunity remains a missed opportunity. We could have addressed this problem four years ago … I believe that alternative means of transport remains the solution.”

Bonnici said people who attended the Notte Bianca event on Saturday were encouraged to make use of public transport. The use of the ferry was extremely popular.

“We should strengthen the sea transport between Valletta and Sliema,” Bonnici said, adding that this was another “missed opportunity”. Miriam Dalli

18:52 Good evening and welcome to this evening’s unscheduled traffic discussion in parliament. The House has agreed to allocate an hour and 30 minutes to each side. The Opposition will be closing the debate. Miriam Dalli