[ANALYSIS] Transport reform: Strategic carrots but no sticks
Transport Minister Chris Bonett has unveiled his plan to change mobility patterns and ease traffic congestion. JAMES DEBONO breaks down the key measures in the Bonett plan and questions whether these initiatives will marginally reduce the number of private cars or lead to a substantial shift in transport habits

The Transport Plan presented by Transport Minister Chris Bonnet on Saturday includes well-thought-out and strategically placed measures targeting young and older people, encouraging them to give up their driving licences and reduce the number of cars on the road.
However, in the absence of a mass transit system and measures that penalise car use, there is a risk that the reform will only marginally decrease car numbers, without fundamentally altering transport patterns. So how do these measures align with the broader goal of reducing car dependence and ensuring sustainable mobility?
1. Older drivers will be tempted
Anyone who renounces all driving licences and car ownership for five years will be eligible for a cash grant of €5,000 per year, amounting to €25,000 in total.
The sum offered is attractive enough to make existing drivers consider the option. A lower amount would likely have resulted in minimal uptake. This suggests that the incentive was not devised arbitrarily but is backed by public attitude studies, focus groups and surveys. While this is a way of throwing money at the problem, it is at least being done strategically.
However, the government should have provided estimates on how many cars it expects to remove from the roads through this and other measures.
The scheme is likely to appeal most to older individuals without family responsibilities. For many aged 25 to 50, juggling family duties remains a significant barrier to giving up private car use. The grant could also be seen as a financial boost for retirees whose incomes decrease after retirement. However, it is crucial to ensure that the scheme is not perceived as an undignified income supplement, as dissatisfaction could arise if participants later regret their decision.
A key drawback is that it primarily targets a demographic that already uses cars less frequently than workers and families. At best, the measure will slightly ease traffic congestion for those who still rely on their cars and will free up some on-the-road parking slots. An upside, the measure would have greater impact if complemented by disincentives such as parking charges and higher taxes on vehicles especially larger models like SUVs.

2. €6,000 cash grant for 17-year-olds choosing scooters over cars
Seventeen-year-olds who opt to ride a small scooter instead of obtaining a motor vehicle licence at 18 and commit to this choice until age 21 will receive a grant of €1,500 per year for four years, totalling €6,000.
The amount is generous and likely to attract younger individuals who have fewer work and family obligations. However, it is questionable why the government did not simply raise the minimum driving age to 21, which would have automatically reduced the number of cars on the road without any financial cost to the state.
Additionally, this measure does not promote public transport use, as the incentive is only offered to those who choose scooters, not those who opt out of driving entirely. Consequently, young people choosing the most sustainable transport options will receive no financial support.
It is also unclear whether the social impact of having more scooters driven by younger riders has been properly assessed.
One advantage of this measure is that it still allows young people to experience the trill and independence of personal transport. However, the risk is that at 21, many will simply transition from scooters to cars, making it doubtful whether this measure will instil long-term habits of alternative transport use.

3. Green travel plans: The challenge of implementation
Green travel plans, which encourage workers to use collective transport or carpool, could play a major role in reducing car numbers at rush hour.
Currently, green travel plans are mostly mandated as a planning condition to mitigate traffic impact from large projects. However, these often amount to vague wish lists with no concrete enforcement mechanisms, thus often being perceived as lip stick on a pig’s face.
However, for these plans to be effective, they must be enforced by a regulatory authority with the power to penalise entities that fail to meet set benchmarks. For instance, companies that do not reduce car use by a specified percentage within five years could face fines.
A compulsory green travel plan for the public sector is an interesting idea, as it could significantly reduce traffic during peak hours. Implementation may also be easier since public employees typically have fixed working hours. Extending mandatory green travel plans to all large and medium-sized companies could further enhance the impact.
The COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated that teleworking is one of the most effective ways to reduce traffic, yet it is barely mentioned in the plan. If employees worked from home just one day per week, traffic volumes could decrease by 20%.

4. The elusive quest for mass transit
The plan does not propose a mass transit solution, as this is still being examined in other studies, in what increasingly resembles a search for the holy grail.
But any sustainable mobility system requires a public transport network where buses, trams, or trains are not obstructed by private traffic. At best, the proposed reforms may ease congestion slightly, shortening travel times for both private and public transport users. However, if the plan succeeds in reducing car numbers, demand for public transport will likely increase, thus increasing pressure on already over-crowded buses.
The plan does include new routes for industrial estates and references a study on revised bus routes as part of a new contract with the bus operator. However, this falls short of a mass transit system.
A major drawback of a metro system is that its benefits would only materialise in the distant future. However, Malta could develop a transit system that relies primarily on existing roads which can be implemented in a much shorter timeframe. This would require reallocating road space, including removing street parking in key areas. Yet, given the government’s reluctance to introduce unpopular measures, it is doubtful whether it would take such steps.
Without measures to disincentivise car use, the proposed reforms are unlikely to be transformative. While the incentives are well-targeted, at best they will result in reducing car ownership without fundamentally altering mobility patterns. To achieve meaningful change, a combination of strategic incentives, disincentives and capital investments will be necessary over the medium to long term.