The answer to mobility issues is the implementation of a sustainable transport planIntroducing a press conference held jointly with PD at the site where the Central Link road building is wreaking havoc on agriculture, AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said: “Government after government have ignored the simple fact that more roads bring about more pollution, more congestion and reduce people’s quality of life.

More roads will entice people to make more journeys by car. It is also pertinent to point out that the EU’s Ten-T programme of road building, used as an excuse by Government for its destructive and short-sighted policies, even in the case of the Central Link road building frenzy, is leading to a focus on travel by car rather than sustained investment in mass transportation and greener and cleaner modes of transport.It is also obvious that agriculture is never a priority in Malta. Instead of stating the obvious, that is that with the huge numbers of cars on the road people are bound to get stuck in traffic, Government and political appointees such as Frederick Azzopardi, bulldoze fertile agricultural land purportedly to increase traffic flow, while closing their eyes and ears to the fact that roads will become congested and clogged in a few years’ time once again. Government is also continuing the longstanding tradition of PL and PN: that of, albeit recently, blabbing away about climate change but doing nothing concrete to fight this man-made crisis. Fossil fuel-powered transport is a major contributor of carbon dioxide and toxic pollutants.”Ralph Cassar, AD Secretary General and spokesperson on transport and infrastructure, emphasised the actions needed for a sustainable transport policy. “It is important to point out that Government’s own studies show that half of all trips made by car in Malta take less than 15 minutes. What this country needs is the immediate implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit System connecting major urban areas in Malta. The Government’s subsidization and control of public transport – including routes to smaller localities which make no business sense were the service to be privately controlled – must continue, however, more courageous and effective policy measures need to be taken.A Bus Rapid Transport system dedicates whole parts of roads exclusively to public transportation, giving buses priority over other motorised forms of transport. Buses should be given absolute priority on our roads. Such a system can be implemented rather quickly. Another important measure would be making roads safer for people who commute by bicycle and pedelec.A bicycle superhighway connecting major urban areas together with safer roads would entice more people to use pedelecs and bicycles and other micro-mobility solutions. The more trips are made by bicycles, the more space is freed on the roads for pedestrians and the less congestion there is for those who, out of necessity, have to use a car. Another policy which would go a long way in improving mobility would be fast-ferry services connecting Gozo and various seaside localities in Malta. We also want to see massive pedestrianisation in all town and village centres. People, as well as their health and safety, should come before cars.”***Ir-risposta għall-konġestjoni tat-traffiku mhux aktar toroq iżda l-implimentazzjoni ta’ politika ta’ trasport sostenibbliWaqt konferenza stampa konġunta ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika mal-Partit Demokratiku fuq il-post fejn il-proġett magħruf bħala Central Link qed jeqred art agrikola fertili, iċ-Chairperson ta’ AD Carmel Cacopardo qal: “Gvern wara ieħor dejjem injoraw il-fatt li aktar toroq iġibu aktar tniġġis, aktar konġestjoni tat-traffiku u jnaqqsu l-kwalita’ tal-ħajja tan-nies. Aktar toroq jħajjru n-nies jużaw aktar u aktar il-karozzi privati.Il-programm tal-UE Ten-T qed jintuża mill-Gvern bħala skuża biex jiġġustifika l-policies distruttivi u inutili tiegħu. Il-ġenn biex jinbnew aktar toroq, fosthom is-Central Link, qed jitfgħa l-emfasi fuq il-karozza flok fuq investiment neċessarju fuq transport tal-massa u fuq trasport aktar nadif u ekoloġikament sostenibbli. Huwa ovvju wkoll meta nħarsu madwarna li l-biedja dejjem tiġi sagrifikata biex tagħmel il-wisa’ għall-karozzi. Frederick Azzopardi, il-kap, appuntat politikament ta’ Infrastructure Malta, għandu jlissen l-ovvju, iġifieri li minħabba l-ammont enormi ta’ karozzi fit-toroq bilfors se tinħoloq il-konġestjoni.Minflok jaraw kif jimplimentaw alternattivi għall-bini tat-toroq, il-Gvern għażel li jeqred aktar art agrikola. Li mhux qed jgħidu li t-traffiku se jeħel xorta waħda u li l-proġett Central Link hu żejt fil-bażwa. Il-Gvern qiegħed ukoll ikompli t-tradizzjoni tal-PN u l-PL dak li jitkellem, anke jekk skopra s-su