Malta’s ‘Slow Streets’ scheme kicks off with 10 local councils

In August 2021, the Maltese government announced its support for Slow Streets schemes in 10 local council areas. The idea is to begin to counteract the high share of private car use in people’s trips in the country. By contrast, the Slow Streets schemes aim to encourage daily transport to be undertaken safely and sustainably in the islands’ communities. “Improved quality of live, cleaner air, safer environment and open space” are the buzz words that summarise the aims of the schemes.

Slow Streets schemes are run as a grassroots, i.e. bottom-up, approach to make use of local knowledge and to address local needs in each of the local council areas. Decisions and details are planned, decided upon and delivered at the level of the local and regional councils.

Mario Fava, President of the Association of Local Councils in Malta states: “As an association we welcome such schemes because through them the local and regional authorities are being given the tools and resources to carry out what is really good for the residents and what really improves their quality of life: cleaner air, safer environment and open spaces”.

The Slow Streets schemes aim to be a step that eventually leads to a change in Maltese transport culture and deliver a move towards intermodality, as Transport Minister Ian Borg notes. The first 10 local councils in which Slow Streets will be implemented are: Msida, San Ġiljan, Iklin, Xewkija, Ħal Safi, Ħad Dingli, Gharghur, Naxxar, Fgura and Munxar. Together, they will receive funding of €344,085 to support the implementation of their respective Slow Streets initiatives. 

Article published first at The Malta Independent on 10 August 2021.