Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1377667
9 EDITORIAL BusinessToday is published every Thursday. The newspaper is a MediaToday publication and is distributed to all leading stationers, business and financial institutions and banks. MANAGING EDITOR: SAVIOUR BALZAN EDITOR: PAUL COCKS BusinessToday, MediaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN9016, Malta Newsroom email: bt@mediatoday.com.mt Advertising: afarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Telephone: 00356 21 382741 G ozo's accessibility is set to im- prove from 1 June when two shipping companies will start offering a fast ferry service between Mġarr and Valletta. Competition between the two com- panies has ensured the pricing struc- tures announced so far remain with- in reach for many users who have to travel daily or frequently between the islands. e development is more than wel- come, especially when one sees the tangible commitment being shown by both companies. e 45-minute trip will give Gozitans who work and study in Malta a direct connection to the Valletta bus termi- nus from where they will be just one bus ride away from their final destina- tion. e Valletta landing place will also serve as a convenient departure point for cruise liner tourists wanting to visit Gozo for a day trip. It is also convenient for other tourists who can travel by bus or ferry to Valletta from the Sliema-St Julian's hub and be on a vessel to Gozo . e fact that the fast ferry service is only for passengers requires that schedules are timed to coincide with public transport services, something which appears to have been taken on board. However, it also means that the trans- port infrastructure leading to or away from the fast ferry berthing spots has to improve. On the Gozo side, a direct shuttle service between Mġarr and the central bus terminus in Victoria is a must. e shuttle service can also be to other key Gozitan villages such as Nadur and Xgħajra. Passengers landing in Gozo without their car will want the fastest access to the public transport network to get around the island. is will encourage more domestic tourism, especially for day-trippers. is might also require an expansion of Mġarr harbour to allow for a proper shuttle service terminus that will also accommodate on demand taxi servic- es. On the Malta side, a more frequent shuttle service from the Blata l-Bajda park-and-ride facility to the Vallet- ta fast ferry terminal is also a must. Another investment is required to connect the Marsamxett-side fer- ry landing place with the upper part of Valletta, either through a lift or an escalator. is is necessary to make it easier for travellers who reach Mar- samxett through the Sliema-Valletta ferry to get to the top of the capital. Al- ternatively, a swift shuttle service co- inciding with the scheduled departure times should connect the Marsamxett side with the opposite side of Valletta. e idea is to create seamless travel between the different ferry nodes. Depending on custom, the Transport Authority might also consider intro- ducing several other fast ferry connec- tions along the route such as Sliema, St Julians, St Paul's Bay, Kalkara and Mar- saskala. Having a second landing place in Gozo, possibly in Marsalforn could also provide a more comprehensive sea network. e scope of this will go beyond Gozo's accessibility and introduce a new means of transport by sea to cut down on car use. Whether this is successful depends on pricing structures, incentives for sea travel, efficiency and convenience for the different categories of people who will makes use of the service. As operations get underway in June, the fast ferry service will allow the country to better understand the de- mand for fast sea travel and whether this could be considered as a plausible alternative to the Gozo-Malta road tunnel. Exploiting the sea for fast travel 27.5.2021