A driving force! Transport Malta is upping resources to make Malta’s streets safer
The public entity is geared towards making us feel more secure on our roads.
We all know our roads can oftentimes feel like a minefield to navigate. From bumper-to-bumpers and traffic jams to those inconsiderate drivers who decide to stop in the middle of the road to pick something up from the shop across: driving can get stressful. It sometimes feels as if few drivers follow the rules, and Malta’s streets have turned into a wild west frontier.
But Transport Malta (TM), the public entity entrusted to ensuring our roads run safely and efficiently, is intent on doing something about this by investing in resources and training to tackle the issue of safety on our streets.
There are various initiatives they have kicked started. Investment is being made into expanding the fleet of motorbikes for TM’s Enforcement Officers. These enforcement bikes are crucial since they provide the first assistance during obstructions caused by traffic accidents. This fleet will increase by four, to a total of 14 on the Maltese roads.
Furthermore, the entity has introduced a motorbike unit in Gozo and an Operations Response Unit, focused on managing traffic in the north, centre and south of the main island, with vehicles operating 24/7 to facilitate traffic flow. Enforcement Officers across Malta and Gozo are also making more roadside checks. At the same time, there is increased coordination between TM, and the Malta Police Force, who are also working in conjunction with other government entities to ensure there are no irregularities on our streets. In addition, laws have been recently updated, particularly those related to using e-scooters, and, today, TM has now been granted enforcement powers to act upon any illegalities.
As evidence of this commitment, the entity has already increased its vigilance of Maltese roads over the past few months. Indeed, there will be more than 20,000 tickets issued by the end of this year, while almost 600 cars were impounded as of 31st December 2022 – a significant rise from the figures of 2021, which stood at 11,480 and only 125 respectively for the entire year.
This drive towards further enforcement has also been accompanied by the upskilling of staff, who have had the opportunity to learn from colleagues and professionals overseas. This year, TM Enforcement Officers were sent to Germany and Spain for roadside inspections training; many are also attending courses on Incident Command held by the Department of Criminology at the University of Malta, with in-house training also being provided by TM and more courses planned for 2023.
TM hopes that this investment will give them the capabilities and resources they need to enforce Malta’s road rules more effectively and help their officers provide better assistance to drivers who are genuinely stuck in a fix.
This is all good news for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians! For, by making Malta and Gozo’s roads safer – through the enforcement of the rules – we can have peace of mind whenever we venture out.