Reforming Public Transport

The Malta Independent on Sunday

Reforming Public Transport

`Traffic Accidents in the First Quarter up by 21.4%` was the title of Central Office of Statistics News Release 27/2000 on 2nd May 2000.

On our roads there are 238,878 licensed vehicles producing a high motorization rates of 614 vehicles per 1000 inhabitants. This excessive density coupled with the poor, indeed atrocious, state of our road network cannot but result in a serious upward trend in` traffic accident statistics causing grief and pain to those unfortunate enough to be involved in such accidents.

Meanwhile` public transport service continues to deteriorate in spite of sharp increases in bus fares. The higher these go the more unsatisfied all parties become. Those who have no option but to use public transport rightly complain of a higher price for a reduced quality of service. The public transport operators continue to be hit by the reduced number of people using` public transport as commuters `desert the unsatisfactory service to arrange their own private transport means.` And those who are forced to use private transport means add to the traffic congestion problem which leads to an increase in the impact rate of traffic accidents.

The consequences of such an inefficient transport system propagate widely. The importation of cars much more than we really need, the use of petrol and diesel far beyond what would be` necessary if an efficient public transport service were to be available, drain away scarce resources. `The loss of life in fatal accidents and lost man-days of work due to serious traffic injuries translate into unquantifiable waste of needed resources.

Unless a radical new approach to public transport is taken the situation will gradually spin out of control.

The end solution is simple and clear. We need to have an efficient and reliable public transport system which motivates commuters to use it in preference to` private transport means. This would reduce congestion on our roads, make a much more efficient use of energy ( and help protect the environment), and restore economic feasibility to our public transport without over-taxing those who must use it and without relying on government subsidies.

Whilst the solution is simple, how to get at it is much trickier and complicated. It would demand some unpleasant discipline which might initially find resistance until its benefits start emerging in the medium term.

The first reform necessary is that we need to clear our city and village centres from all traffic except public transport means.` Coupled with parking enforcement this would provide the necessary motivation to prefer public transport.

A further reform would be in favour of public transport routes on fixed rails free from traffic blockages. This would ensure timely arrivals of public transport services making it reliable enough to re-build confidence and custom by the general public.

This would need to be further supplemented by service up-grading in terms of cleanliness, customer service, frequency and reach of network services.

No partial or half-hearted approach would bring home the desired results. Public Transport requires a total solution which would demand an investment which can only be recouped if the volume of users is increased in multiples within a relatively short period of time.

It is unlikely that the Government can itself find` the necessary energy and resources to bring about the necessary changes. It would seem that the best solution is to invite private bidders to propose a solution on the built operate and transfer model which would safeguard the interest of current bus-owners who are otherwise destined to a slow death by attrition. Government could subsidise fares for an intitial period until confidence in the system is re-built by levying a corresponding tax from those using private transport means and/or from enforcement of parking regulations.

I see this as much like the revival of the cinema industry that until some ten years back was almost annihilated until the Decesare`s provided a totally new approach to Cinema entertainment.

It is these sort of privatisations that add value, bring about an improvement in the quality of life, and make us all winners at the end of the day.

Unfortunately like so many other issues, we seem to think` we can solve problems by continuing to talk about them waiting for a magic solution to fall from heaven. Solutions come from creativity, leadership, determination and hard work. Unfortunately these are ingredients which a fatigued administration in its third quasi-consecutive term has run out of.` We continue to wait for Brussels to send us their magic formula to solve this (and other) problems whilst we stand by idly and impotently seeing the country driving itself into a dead-end.