Rota, the Bicycle Advocacy group, has issued its response to Budget 2025, saying that it included no new initiatives for sustainable transportation, instead recycling proposals from previous years. “While some of these proposals have merit, they are clearly insufficient on their own.”

The group said that in recent years, traffic, environmental, and transportation issues have been consistently highlighted in surveys as the most pressing concerns for the Maltese population. This has been the focus of Rota’s advocacy over the past 15 years.

Rota noted that “unfortunately, government efforts over recent decades have done little to improve micro-mobility.”

It pointed out that some measures have reappeared in multiple budgets without delivering tangible results. For instance, Rota highlighted that a cycling policy proposed in 2015 and reiterated in countless budgets has yet to be published.

Meanwhile, it said, “there remains a lack of initiatives promoting pedestrianisation, prioritising active mobility, or encouraging people to adopt alternative transportation methods.”

Grants for bicycle purchases are helpful, Rota said, “but are only one part of the solution. Malta needs significant investment in safe, reliable infrastructure and a nationwide educational campaign.”

The group concluded by saying that “as Rota, we expected a more ambitious, forward-looking vision to alleviate traffic congestion through active and micro-mobility solutions. Malta deserves better – a future with fewer delays and more efficient movement for all.”

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