Up To 200 New Cameras To Be Installed Around The Island As Transport Malta Expands Control Centre
Another 200 cameras could be installed in the streets of Malta as Transport Malta enters phase two of the expansion of their central traffic control room.
The 200 new cameras will join the current 32 camera currently installed and will allow the traffic controllers to see much more of the Maltese traffic network and respond to incidents at a much faster pace.
Traffic control centre manager Norbert Grech told the Times of Malta that the the cameras are part of a larger push to expand the powers of the control room.
“Our job is to spot the problem, ensure appropriate stakeholders are alerted to it and deal with it as fast as possible,” he said.
The control centre, which opened in July 2018, is situated in the A3 Towers in Marsa for now, and will be moving to new premises in Sa Maison as part of this expansion.
The control centre has various functions
All 27 messaging screens around the island are controlled in real time from the centre, with updates displayed on the screens whenever an incident occurs. However, Mr Grech said that often times, Maltese drivers ignored the updates.
“Sometimes our Maltese culture is: ‘as I know this road, it’s irrelevant that theres an accident or road closure – I will have a try'”,” he lamented of some Maltese drivers.
The control centre also relays information to newsrooms, radio stations, and even freephone on 8007 3399.
With the current 32 cameras installed around the island – with eight cameras in each of the four regions – the control centre is able to notify everyone from the Civil Protection Department to the police and medical services in case of any incidents. In this way, the control centre can minimise chances of traffic congestion building up.
Mr Grech pointed to the recent case of a Public Transport bus that skidded last week before laying to rest in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes. He said that with the assistance of the control centre, the bus had been removed within 30 mins, and traffic had restarted within 15 minutes, with police diverting oncoming vehicles as well to minimise potential traffic congestion.
The control centre can also assist the courts by providing camera evidence to in cases involving accidents.
These new 200 cameras will be installed with the help of EU funding.
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