Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533939
7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 APRIL 2025 ANALYSIS Strategic carrots but no sticks ly, young people choosing the most sustainable transport op- tions will receive no financial support. It is also unclear whether the social impact of having more scooters driven by younger rid- ers has been properly assessed. One advantage of this meas- ure is that it still allows young people to experience the trill and independence of person- al transport. However, the risk is that at 21, many will simply transition from scooters to cars, making it doubtful whether this measure will instil long-term habits of alternative transport use. 3. Green travel plans: The challenge of implementation Green travel plans, which en- courage workers to use collec- tive transport or carpool, could play a major role in reducing car numbers at rush hour. Currently, green travel plans are mostly mandated as a plan- ning condition to mitigate traf- fic impact from large projects. However, these often amount to vague wish lists with no con- crete enforcement mechanisms, thus often being perceived as lip stick on a pig's face. However, for these plans to be effective, they must be enforced by a regulatory authority with the power to penalise entities that fail to meet set bench- marks. For instance, companies that do not reduce car use by a specified percentage within five years could face fines. A compulsory green travel plan for the public sector is an interesting idea, as it could sig- nificantly reduce traffic during peak hours. Implementation may also be easier since public employees typically have fixed working hours. Extending man- datory green travel plans to all large and medium-sized com- panies could further enhance the impact. The COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated that telework- ing is one of the most effective ways to reduce traffic, yet it is barely mentioned in the plan. If employees worked from home just one day per week, traffic volumes could decrease by 20%. 4. The elusive quest for mass transit The plan does not propose a mass transit solution, as this is still being examined in oth- er studies, in what increasingly resembles a search for the holy grail. But any sustainable mobil- ity system requires a public transport network where bus- es, trams, or trains are not ob- structed by private traffic. At best, the proposed reforms may ease congestion slightly, short- ening travel times for both pri- vate and public transport users. However, if the plan succeeds in reducing car numbers, demand for public transport will likely increase, thus increasing pres- sure on already over-crowded buses. The plan does include new routes for industrial estates and references a study on re- vised bus routes as part of a new contract with the bus operator. However, this falls short of a mass transit system. A major drawback of a met- ro system is that its benefits would only materialise in the distant future. However, Malta could develop a transit system that relies primarily on existing roads which can be implement- ed in a much shorter timeframe. This would require reallocating road space, including removing street parking in key areas. Yet, given the government's reluc- tance to introduce unpopular measures, it is doubtful whether it would take such steps. Without measures to disin- centivise car use, the proposed reforms are unlikely to be trans- formative. While the incentives are well-targeted, at best they will result in reducing car own- ership without fundamentally altering mobility patterns. To achieve meaningful change, a combination of strategic incen- tives, disincentives and capital investments will be necessary over the medium to long term. In the absence of a mass transit system and measures that penalise car use, there is a risk that the reform will only marginally decrease car numbers, without fundamentally altering transport patterns