Opinion: Cable Car Systems Can Solve Our Congestion Crisis: Why Aaron Farrugia Should Start The Process
Cable cars have become increasingly popular in cities around the world as a way to solve transport and congestion issues. They are an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly way to move people and goods in a city. Cable carts are powered by electricity and use cables to pull cars or gondolas up and down hills or across wide expanses.
The best cable cart networks in the world are located in some of the most breathtaking and scenic landscapes in the world. Cable carts are a great way to explore a new area, get a unique perspective on the landscape, and enjoy some of the best views in the area.
The Swiss Alps are home to some of the best cable car networks in the world. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Switzerland is one of the world’s highest cable car systems and offers stunning views of the Alps. The Gornergrat Bahn in Switzerland is another top destination for cable car enthusiasts. This network takes you to an elevation of over 10,000 feet and offers spectacular views of the Matterhorn, the Gorner Glacier, and more.
So how can Malta utilise this technology to calm roads, ease congestion and move people around the island more efficiently?
Switzerland's highest cable car to Klein Matterhorn in Zermatt
Small island nations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to their limited land area and limited natural resources. As a result, it is essential for these countries to utilise alternative transport methods to reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient. One of the most effective alternative transport methods for small island nations is the use of electric vehicles.
Now it seems unlikely that Malta can implement electric car parking to cater to the nation’s population. There just isn’t enough space. So alternatives need to be found. Countries across the world have utilised cable car systems to make inaccessible areas, accessible to everyone.
In 2004, Medellin became the first city in the world to fully integrate cable cars into its existing metro system. Since then, a growing number of urban areas across the globe have begun installing cable car systems of their own: offering a clean, relatively cheap and innovative method of moving people around.
Since then, cities around the world have begun to follow Medellin’s example. From Caracas in Venezuela to Constantine in Algeria, New York in the US to Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod. Planning and transportation authorities are turning to cable cars as a means of overcoming common transport challenges.
Gondola systems, as they’re sometimes known, offer urban planners a way of traversing challenging terrains such as steep hills and rivers. But, these aren’t the only benefits.
An unexpected side effect of urban cable cars is their pull as a tourist attraction, and therefore as an agent of economic growth. In cities such as Medellin and La Paz, a cable car ride is rated as one of the main attractions. Tourists would surely prefer a birds-eye view of Malta rather than being stuck on a filthy, delayed bus.
The world’s longest metro cable car system, at over 16km, is in La Paz, Bolivia. The Mi Teleférico functions as La Paz’s principal public transport system and currently has 25 stations and six separate lines running across the city. A one-way ticket will set you back just 3 Bolivianos – around £0.33 ($0.42).
So would it be feasible for Malta to implement a similar system and would it solve the age-old problem of travelling around our island?
Would you travel around Malta via cable car?
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