Cutting down congestion: a proposal

How about a variation on the old, even-, odd-numbered-registration-plates theme?

This will require constant help from broadcast media, which could prove quite a sensible filler to some inane TV breakfast shows.

In close collaboration with the Police, they will be updating the commuters on the traffic allowed to be found on the road:

• Cut-off time: 5:30am. Until then the system will not have kicked in.

• From 5:30 am to 6:30 am (of the same day, of course) only the evens.

• From 6:30 am to 7:30 am the odds.

• From 7:30 am to 8:00 am (again) the evens.

• From 8:00 am to 8:30 am (again) the odds.

• From 8:30 am onwards evens and odds.

What about those having personalized number plates with not one single digit in sight? Read on, there’s a way.

Exempt: buses, ambulances, emergency services, police, cars carrying more than three passengers, like school vans, motorbikes.

The time brackets would alternate on successive days. If the evens take the first time slot one day, then it’s for the odds the next day. The presence of so many police at these times should prove a deterrent against abuse. Of course, one will have to fine-tune, fine-tune and fine-tune even more.

Should it be an utter failure, would we be losing more than we are now?

Joe Genovese

Birkirkara