Mobility justice in urban transport - the case of Malta

Abstract

Malta has been experiencing a constant economic growth and population increase since the 1990s. Following accession to the European Union in 2004 and joining the Euro in 2008, the rate of growth has continued to increase unabated. This has resulted in rapid urban development, and increasing car ownership and use. The islands’ urban fabric has changed with further urban land use densification, and increasing need for space for the car. In a small island state, land resources are not only limited but also highly contested. The result today is evident in the high costs of congestion, air and noise pollution, health impacts and overall decline of the quality of the urban areas due primarily to the overbearing presence of the car in the public realm. Inspired by the works of Vasconcellos (2014) and Gössling (2016) this paper aims to describe the islands’ transport system development and highlight issues related to equity and justice. It investigates the main trends and the impacts on mobility justice through the issues of household income, accidents (road safety), urban area distribution and exclusion. The issues surrounding the social sustainability of the transport system is therefore put into question using socio-political approaches. The study also reviews current transport policies in an attempt to frame the issues of equity and social sustainability within the island’s policy context. The study brings to the forefront growing concerns in Malta over the current political decisions on providing more roads for cars without any effective plans in support of other, more environmentally and socially acceptable forms of transport. Finally, the paper aims to raise awareness of the growing transport injustices in the system and provide some justification for more equity considerations in transport planning and infrastructure development.