Malta is one of the smallest countries in the European Union, but it is also at the top of the most densely populated ones. The size of the island nation is roughly equivalent to 1/5 of the size of London, and 1/3 of that of Berlin. There are currently around 420.000 people living on the island. The number of registered cars however, reaches currently over 300.000. Around 80% of these are registered as passenger cars, 15% commercial, 5% motorcycles, and 1% buses and public transport.
Naturally, not all of these cars belong to residents, there are plenty of car rental agencies renting out cars to tourists and occasional drivers. However, considering the large amount of cars, and the actual size of the island, a lot of traffic jams are bound to occur, especially in the north-eastern parts around Sliema, Valletta, Msida and the main carriage ways connecting these cities to the rest of Malta.
Especially rush hour is a nightmare for most drivers: congested roads, slow traffic and agitated drivers are present on a daily basis in the mornings and evenings. In the last 10 years 58.000 more cars were registered, 10.000 of those alone in the last year.
Unfortunately, the public transport is still not a reliable means of getting around. Even though prices for a day ticket are cheap (€1.50), and the network is quite extensive, the congested roads do not make the buses more attractive, as journeys just take too long. In the last 30 years, Malta has developed from a country that was at the forefront of using public transport to one that uses the least. This shift mainly comes from the better economic situation, and owning a car, or even two, has become a status symbol.
However, this situation is not very healthy; neither for the environment, nor for the people, as more cars and agitated drivers also mean more accidents. Malta still has a long way to go with regards to finding a solution for the traffic problem, and in my opinion, they need to provide a better public transport system that offers the people a good alternative to using the car.
