Today, a press conference was held by KSU to discuss the major problems faced by University students regarding Transport & Accessibility. KSU President, Gayle Lynn Callus, introduced the conference by explaining the work that KSU has been doing throughout the year in collaboration with the related authorities, most noticeably the Minister of Transport Joe Mizzi, Malta Public Transport and the Green Travel Plan. Mr Callus continued to explain that what used to be a simple problem of parking, escalated greatly into being a problem of accessibility and transport in general, and its a problem that needs to be tackled before it becomes irreversible. Mr Callus said that this should not be an issue to be used by political parties as leverage in the elections, but is a responsibility of everyone who is affected by it. He also questioned what happened to the proposal of the Park & Ride, which was to be situated in Pembroke to help reduce the problem of parking to students residing from the North of Malta.
Kenneth Terribile, KSU’s Secretary General, explained the alternative methods to personal cars and how KSU is working to make them more feasible and accessible for students.
Public Transport
A study held by KSU exposed how students are showing lack of faith in the current public transport, not relying on three particular areas of such transport: quality of the service offered, the punctuality, and the frequency of the public buses. The results also showed that 63.1% of the students would make use of the service, should it be more punctual and efficient. Due to a meagre rating of 3/10 for punctuality and efficiency, and 5/10 for value for money, its no wonder that only 37% of the student body make use of public transport. For this reason, KSU will be launching a €10,000 Transport Scheme to encourage students to make more frequent use of public transport. KSU will be offering a reduction of 50% for 90-day tickets, which brings the cost to a mere 0.33c per day. Furthermore, KSU stressed the importance that the new operator should consult with KSU regarding routes and any changes that may affect the student body.
Car-Pooling
While a very practical solution for traffic and parking problems, car-pooling never seemed to be implemented well enough into practice, and for this reason, KSU will be offering a system which makes the service easier and more efficient for students. From their page, students can either offer rides to other students who live in the vicinities, or look for a lift in the same way.
Cycling
KSU stated that, in this sector, we have not failed; we have not even begun. Research showed that just 2% of the 13,000 University students cycle to school, and we have ended up completely dependent on cars. However, we need to be pragmatic in securing a viable method of transport, which will be safe, efficient and sustainable. 18% of the student body have a jpurney of just 15 minutes with a bicycle, and this figure excludes the Gozitan students who live in the vicinity of University. To ensure that more and more students start cycling to university, KSU has implemented several projects such as the lockers and shower facilities, 12 bike racks, water fountains, and will also be installing a bike shelter at Gateway and a toolbox which can be freely used by anyone.
Furthermore, KSU will be collaborating with Peddle Power to offer two new incentives: A Rent-a-bike scheme without payment, which can be accessed through the KSU website; and a Buy-a-Bike Scheme where students will be offered a 20% discount and given a free helmet.
Long-Term Vision
KSU has several ideas that can be implemented in the long-run, some of them including a private transport system, similar to the one used in Primary and Secondary schools; motorbikes and bicycles with small motors to be used as a means of transport; and electric bicycles. When referring to the government’s electoral promise to build a parking complex at the University, Mr Callus said that it would be much better to apply the rector’s master plan, which includes new complexes, more open spaces for studying, a new bus terminus as well as an underground parking. It’s not simply a problem of funding that is deterring this project, but rather the lack of permission from the respective boards.
Mr Callus ended the conference by appealing for more consultations with KSU as the official voice of the students, as well as appealing to the government, political parties and respective agencies to consider the possibility of a national conference to discuss the major transport problem.
