Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1510125
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 OCTOBER 2023 The e-scooter ban is a kneejerk reaction Editorial THE debate surrounding e-scooters is pretty much an intergenerational one: young people find them a con- venient alternative to get around, whether for work or pleasure; and older people loathe them because of the potential danger they pose to pedestrians and the incon- venience they cause when parked haphazardly. Cycling and environmental advocates would argue in favour of a policy that facilitates the use of e-scooters since they provide an alternative and cleaner means of personalised transport to the private car. On the other hand, local council mayors have been complaining over the inconvenience caused to elderly people and garage owners by scooters abandoned by irresponsible riders on sidewalks and pretty much everywhere else. Both sides have valid arguments. E-scooters provide a very convenient mode of intra-city travel. For foreign workers living and working in the Msida-Gżira-Sliema- St Julian's-Swieqi conurbation, e-scooters are a perfect way of getting around without getting stuck in traffic congestion. They are also a convenient mode of travel within larger localities. But within this context the plight of pedestrians can- not be ignored, especially those with mobility challenges. Getting hit by an e-scooter is not only an unpleasant experience but can have very serious consequences for some people. Finding a scooter blocking your garage door, or obstructing the pavement is also a big inconven- ience, especially if this happens every couple of metres. The government tried walking a tight rope by issuing regulations to control how scooters are used and where they can be driven but as always, the good intentions were scuppered by a lack of proper enforcement. In its latest act, the government has gone for an out- right ban on rental e-scooters that will start from March next year. The ban specifically targets rental scooters, which means people who purchase their own will still be able to use them. It is clear that the problem lies with the irresponsible use of rental scooters because riders have little interest to take care of them once they have finished using them. The proliferation of rental scooters and the inability to enforce how these are used and where they can be parked has now led to what can only be termed as a kneejerk reaction. The government's action is typical of how authorities under pressure react when dealing with disruptive technology – in this case a disruptive mode of transport. The outright ban is likely to enjoy widespread popular support, especially in the Sliema-St Julian's area, where elderly residents have long been raising concerns on irresponsible scooter use. Government's decision signals it has finally heard their plight. But the problem with the draconian decision is that it leaves open the question whether all avenues to ensure proper enforcement have been explored. Admittedly, enforcement is not easy when it comes to micro mobility and it would be irrational to expect the authorities to be present in every nook and cranny to police scooter riders. But there are technological means to do so. Geofencing can be used to confine the use and parking of e-scooters to certain roads and areas. Indeed, it has been in use and in certain localities riders could not park anywhere they wanted otherwise the operator would keep charging money. The question is, why wasn't a system of mandatory geofencing, determined by the transport authority in consultation with local councils, not imposed on the e-scooter operators? Are there other loopholes that al- low riders to subvert the system even if geofencing is in place? And if so, aren't there technological solutions to close these loopholes? The draconian decision suggests the authorities took the easy way out. But there is also the wider issue of improper road in- frastructure. The dearth of dedicated bike lanes, some of which connect to nowhere, means that alternative modes of transport such as scooters and bicycles end up being a safety concern for pedestrians. Pedestrian safety is not something that can be easily brushed aside, espe- cially in localities where the population is largely elderly. It is also true that most roads and pavements are not wide enough to accommodate dedicated bike lanes. In this sense, the greatest problem with scooters is that they compete for limited pavement space with pedestrians. Indeed, most pavements in urban areas allow two or maybe three people to walk side by side, and taking up physical road space would practically mean removing on street parking. Malta has a car-centred culture, which will not go away anytime soon. Any attempt to remove on street parking has to be pre-empted by the construction of urban underground multi-storey car parks, otherwise it will breed resistance. But this does not mean the authorities should not explore viable alternative avenues where cars, e-scoot- ers, bicycles and pedestrians can co-exist. Through pilot projects people may also start seeing benefits in terms of more trees, larger pavements and dedicated lanes for alternative modes of transport. A concerted investment to improve pavements with government actively financing local councils, would also be a welcome move after years of neglect. Indeed, in some areas elevated dedicated bicycles tracks can be explored, while the seafront from Pietà all the way to St Julian's can be redesigned in some place to accommodate a continuous bike lane without compro- mising parking and space where pedestrians can walk safely. It could also be extended to Valletta. Some of the internal roads within towns and villages can also be identified as cycle routes for shared road space with cars. These routes must have clear markings indicating that cars have to slow down and prioritise bicycles and e-scooters. Adopting a strategy that encourages alternative modes of transport is not easy in a densely-populated country like Malta. Solutions have to be practical and adapted to local re- alities. It is useless looking at what other European cities with large boulevards do since Malta is a city functioning as a country with all necessities crammed into 316sq. km. But doing nothing is not an option either and every effort must be made to encourage alternative and clean transport means. Quote of the Week "Keith Schembri's phone disappeared on the night before his arrest. He is mentioned everywhere… Melvin Theuma didn't have a photo with Yorgen Fenech, he had a photo with Keith Schembri at Castille. He indicated Keith Schembri as the person who entangled him in this mess." Yorgen Fenech's lawyer Charles Mercieca arguing before a judge on the relevance that Schembri's phone records be exhibited in his client's upcoming trial in which he stands accused of masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. MaltaToday 10 years ago 23 October 2013 MaltaToday features in EP report on investigative journalism AN experts' report for the European Par- liament's budgetary control exclusively features Mal-taToday for its investigative journalism. MaltaToday's investigative journalism were the sole examples featured in an ex- perts' report for the European Parliament's budgetary control committee that tackled issues of financial control and auditing of EU funds and national taxpayers' money. MaltaToday's uncovering of an EU media contract to the Nationalist Party, which was subse-quently repealed; its exclusive reports in the €3.8 million in direct orders award- ed by the Office of the Prime Minister to Group 4 and Mekanika for services on Ma- ter Dei Hospital; and the re-cent exposure of the way Malta's embassy to the EU in Brussels paid its locally-employed per-son- nel, were the sole examples of investigative journalism from Malta in a report which oth-erwise insisted that "such journalism was practically non-existent" on the island. In 2005, MaltaToday revealed that the Nationalist Party had been awarded a major €565,000 contract from the EU to provide a daily press review to the European Commis- sion. But following the report, the contract was terminated by European Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, due to the ethical ques- tions that such a press review in the hands of a political par-ty raised. Then in 2008, MaltaToday revealed the spectacular payment of over €2 million in a direct order from the Office of the Prime Minister, then responsible for the construc- tion of Mater Dei Hos-pital, to Group 4 Services. The company, previously employed by Swedish construction firm Skanska, was allowed to continue providing security ser- vices by the government in a direct or-der. The OPM also proceeded to give G4S the operation of the Mater Dei car park in a deal that would be later criticised by the Auditor General. ...