[WATCH] It’s time to enlarge the bus fleet, Transport Minister says

Ian Borg on transport sector emissions

The public bus fleet has to expand because it is already catering for a record number of commuters, Transport Minister Ian Borg said.

He was speaking after touring ongoing infrastructural works at the Marsa junction, where seven flyovers will be erected.

“We’re at a point where one either uses his private vehicle or the public transport. The buses are already providing for a record number of people, so it’s time to enlarge the bus fleet,” Borg said. 

The National Statistics Office yesterday released figures which said that emissions from the transport sector increased by 30% since 2007 and emissions of greenhouse gases by the sector were almost equivalent to those released by the energy sector.

Borg said that times have changed and that 10 years ago Malta never needed to talk about sustainable means of transport and was never in need of such enterprises as the Marsa flyover project. 

The first of seven flyovers at the Marsa junction will be in place by the end of summer

“Projects like these ultimately help because they limit congestion. Everybody contributes to traffic,” he said, adding that he was part of a government which was the first to grant huge amounts of money to incentivise the buying of electric vehicles.

Borg announced that the first of seven Marsa flyovers will be completed by the end of the coming summer.

“The project has three phases and we are currently in its third phase. The first was to remove factories in the area and relocate them to Hal Far. The second was to widen the Aldo Moro passageway to cater for ten lanes of traffic. Now, as promised, by the end of summer the government will deliver the first bridge,” he said.

The first flyover will cater for vehicles coming from Aldo Moro towards Garibaldi Road and the Malta International Airport in a bid to avoid bottlenecks and congestion. 

A total of 120,000 vehicles pass through the junction every day.

“Traffic is intermittently stopped while concrete beams are being lifted and deposited on the construction site to avoid dangerous situations on the road. All the beams were constructed here,” Borg said. 

He added that the circumference of the bridges will be made of steel and that these are being developed abroad but will be brought to Malta in the coming weeks.