The effects of the recently introduced public transport system on four chosen localities in Malta

Abstract

Mass transportation is a concept which evolved due to the necessity to travel at an increased speed. Looking back into history one can note how people used to share horse drawn carriages in order to reach a destination in a shorter period of time or due to the fact that these same people did not probably own an animal to be able to travel on it. This notion led to an improved technology, presently known as mass transportation in order for people to be able to travel in groups within urban areas. The main characteristics of public transportation are to carry groups of people sharing the same route, efficiency, reliability and lower costs. This idea led me to explore four different urban Maltese localities which are situated in detached areas. My research addressed the questions of accessibility, reliability, frequency and other quality criteria in order to examine whether the respondents from Birżebbuġa, Marsaxlokk, Siġġiewi and Żebbuġ are willing to travel in mass on the recently introduced public transport system. Given the context that public transport could be a frequent, comfortable and affordable way of travelling, the research analyses whether the respondents in the designated localities are happy to travel on public transport or whether a lack in the service could lead to a modal shift.