Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542275
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 DECEMBER 2025 LOOKING BACK 2025 Lawmakers and the mobility enigma THEY say all roads lead to Rome. But in 2025, for lawmakers and ministers, every road seemed to lead to public anger, mounting problems, and growing calls for change. 2025 was a bad year for roads with fatalities and traffic taking over the news cycle for weeks. The accidents led to legal changes that toughened pen- alties for wrongdoing on the road. The year began on a relatively hopeful note. In the first quar- ter of 2025, the number of re- ported traffic accidents fell by 9% compared to the same pe- riod in 2024, according to data collected by the National Sta- tistics Office (NSO). Casualties also dropped by nearly 12% re- flecting fewer injuries overall. Yet, this improvement masked a more troubling trend with four people dying in those first months, three more than in the first quarter of the pre- vious year. By mid-year, the second quar- ter followed a similar pattern. The number of accidents con- tinued to decline and yet, five people lost their lives, marking a rise in fatalities compared to 2024. The third quarter told the same uneasy story. Reported traffic accidents dropped again, down 10.9% from the same quarter in 2024, but casualties increased slightly and there were seven fatalities. Statistics for the fourth quarter were not yet published at the time this article was written. It was during the summer months that fatalities dominat- ed the news cycle. Six people died within a few days in July alone, while another five died in June. These deaths include six pe- destrians, five motorcyclists, five people who died in a car, and one bicycle rider. The cases led to wide calls for reform and increased road en- forcement, especially for driv- ing under the influence of alco- hol and drugs. The changes, which had been in the making, did eventual- ly happen as enforcement was stepped up. Transport Malta launched a new national driv- ing code, aimed at clarifying rules for modern mobility, in- cluding stricter guidelines for helmet use, seat belts, pedestri- an and cyclist safety, and even electric scooters. But the biggest and most im- pactful reform was the intro- duction of random roadside drug-testing. The new law will also be coupled with tougher penalties for those causing ac- cidents under the influence, in- cluding removal of suspended sentences for fatal outcomes. Traffic scourge In 2025, lawmakers were not only dealing with fatalities, but also with the ever-present monster of traffic. According to data published by the NSO, Malta had 454,000 vehicles registered on the road in Q3 2025. Meanwhile, more than 73,000 people own more than one ve- hicle, with 465 owning over 10, according to data shared in parliament. It also means that nearly one in eight people now own more than one car, based on Malta's total population of 574,250. A MaltaToday survey pub- lished in October also showed how traffic remained the coun- try's top concern. This fuelled public debate, with govern- ment reacting by issuing a set of short-, medium- and long- term proposals to address the issue. One of the most eye-catching proposals came in March when Transport Minister Chris Bon- net announced the voluntary licence-surrender scheme of- fering €25,000 to motorists prepared to give up their car li- cence and plates for five years. The scheme to kick off in 2026 will target young drivers. Other measures included two new park-and-ride facilities in Ta' Qali and Paola, expand- ed bus services, and increased deployment of Transport Mal- ta officials during peak traffic times. A key reform was the em- phasis on ferry connections between seaside localities. The Buġibba ferry landing was completed and plans unveiled for a new terminal at Marsas- kala. Despite the reforms, public discourse remained intense. Some critics argued that real traffic relief will require more structural shifts, such as con- gestion pricing, on street park- ing fees, and stronger disincen- tives for private car use. But government and its ministers made it amply clear that pe- nalising car use was not their policy. In December, Chris Bonett told MaltaToday it would be futile to penalise car use with- out providing a reliable alter- native. But perhaps the most con- troversial and highly-debated solution floated to address the traffic problem has been mass transportation. The major par- ties have locked horns on what would be the best solution— the government said it wants to go for a metro, while the PN is still open as to what is the best solution. Critics dismiss the propos- al as a pipe dream, repeatedly promised from one election to the next, arguing that its logis- tical and financial demands make it unfeasible. Politicians, however, remain adamant. The PN has called for the signing of a memorandum of under- standing to secure cross-party consensus, while Prime Minis- ter Robert Abela has said a new €3 billion proposal is currently under study. The prime minister said the system would not be fully un- derground, but would form part of a wider transport net- work integrating other modes, including buses and fast ferries. While new laws, enforcement and incentives signal political awareness, they also underline how fragmented and reactive the approach by politicians to mobility remains. Whether the answer lies in tougher enforcement, incen- tives against private car use, or the long-promised leap to- wards mass transport, one thing is clear: the status quo is no longer sustainable. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt The government is eyeing a network of ferry crossings between seaside localities to serve as an alternative transport system for commuters The new law will also be coupled with tougher penalties for those causing accidents under the influence, including removal of suspended sentences for fatal outcomes