VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Transport Minister Chris Bonett has urged government and Opposition to unite behind a national mass transport project that he said will shape mobility for generations.
Speaking during his ministry’s budget estimates on Tuesday, Bonett warned that too much time had been wasted on “puerile arguments” while congestion worsened. He said the proposed system would be Malta’s largest infrastructure project since independence.
The ministry is working with consultancy firm Arup on a metro solution estimated at under €3 billion. The plan differs from the 2021 proposal costed at €6 billion since it combines underground and aboveground routes.
Bonett said the project has entered “an important new stage” involving commercial and geological studies, although he offered no timeline for publication of the plans. He added that legislative and planning policy changes will be required before construction can begin.
He appealed to the Opposition to treat the project as a national priority. His call mirrors that of Opposition leader Alex Borg who recently proposed a cross-party memorandum of understanding to guarantee long term continuity.
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has warned that a metro could burden public finances unless both sides agree on policies that curb car use.
Bonett said government will not wait for the metro to address traffic. A new ferry link will be launched next year, with new services serving the south and north of the island including Valletta.
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