The Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works today announced another strong investment in public transport as part of the long-term vision “Malta in Motion”, with the aim of continuing to transform the mobility system in our country into a more modern, sustainable and efficient one.
Through an investment of €14 million, Malta Public Transport will add 40 new electric vehicles to its fleet, another important step towards cleaner and technologically advanced public transport. This investment will eventually more than double Tallinja’s electric fleet, while further strengthening the Government’s goal of having a fully electric public transport fleet in Gozo.
This project forms part of a wider effort under the Malta in Motion plan, which is driving a comprehensive transformation in the mobility sector through continued investment in public transport, more modern infrastructure, innovative technologies and sustainable solutions that improve the citizen experience and reduce environmental impact.
Alongside this investment, an autonomous electric shuttle pilot project has also been announced. This pilot project is being carried out through a collaboration between the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Malta Public Transport and the University of Malta, with co-financing from the European Union under the metaCCAZE project in the Horizon Europe programme.
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Chris Bonett, said that this investment shows the Malta in Motion plan in practice. “This is not a plan or a presentation on paper, but a vision that is being built step by step, investment after investment. After last week we launched a new Tallinja sea service, today we are sending another clear message about the direction our country is taking, a direction towards cleaner, more modern and more sustainable mobility,” said Minister Bonett. He also explained that the investment will continue to strengthen the ongoing work so that the public transport service continues to adapt to the modern needs of the country. In fact, from next Sunday a number of new routes, extensions of existing routes and an increase in the frequency of popular services will come into effect, so that more people have access to more efficient and convenient public transport.
Malta Public Transport Chairman, Felipe Cosmen, said “Today we are proud because what we are presenting is not just the introduction of new buses, but another step in a long journey of modernising public transport in Malta and improving the daily lives of the people who depend on it. In 2015, when our Group took over the responsibility of Malta’s public transport service, we did so with a clear and simple objective: to invest, modernise and continuously improve. From the very beginning we understood that public transport is not just a service, but part of the daily rhythm of the country and a major contributor to social, economic and environmental well-being.”
Note: More information about the autonomous bus project is below.
An autonomous bus has arrived in Malta to begin a structured testing phase for a period of at least six months. The vehicle will be tested on routes in Malta and Gozo as part of a pilot project led locally by Malta Public Transport, the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works and the University of Malta as part of the metaCCAZE project. This project aims to explore the future of intelligent and autonomous mobility in our country.
The pilot project will evaluate the performance of the autonomous bus on carefully selected and pre-approved routes, starting next month. The vehicle, which can carry up to 15 people, will begin operating through controlled trials, before being officially put into use for public use.
Safety is a central element of the pilot project. A trained safety operator will be on board continuously during the tests, and will be able to take immediate control whenever necessary. The trials are being conducted in accordance with a safety and authorisation process in accordance with a new robust regulatory framework published by Transport Malta. Continuous monitoring and data collection will allow for the evaluation of the system and service performance.
The pilot project in Gozo and Malta is part of the metaCCAZE project, co-funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme. metaCCAZE aims to revolutionise mobility in European cities, for the benefit of both passengers and freight, with electric, automated and innovative solutions that aim to lead to more efficient, modern and clean transport. Other innovative projects have been launched in nine other European cities including Tampere in Finland and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Photos (MTIP)
