A recent ban on learner vehicles from Malta’s main roads during rush hours has proven controversial, with instructors and students alike complaining that they now have to bear the brunt for the country’s traffic problem. 

However, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the outrage isn’t justified, as students will still be able to learn how to drive in non-arterial roads during those hours – namely between 7am and 9am and between 3:30pm and 6pm.

“I would empathise with [students and instructors] if they were banned from the roads entirely during those hours, but they are simply being restricted to less traffic-congested roads during those hours,” he said when questioned by Lovin Malta on Wednesday night. “I don’t get the outrage; they’ll still be getting driving experience after all.”

The Prime Minister added this is just one of several small measures Transport Malta is taking to alleviate traffic in rush hours, amongst which include a free towing service for bumper to bumper accidents. 

“Will it solve the traffic problem? No, but there is no magic wand solution…” 

However, many people took to Facebook to complain at how unfair it is that learners have drawn the short end of the stick in Transport Malta’s attempts to clamp down on traffic. These included video satirist Daniel Dean Kingswell, who jokingly said it was like trying to cure Greyscale by trimming your fingernails. 

“I propose old people can’t drive during rush hours, no cranes, no big vans and heavy commercial vehicles, ah yes…and no rubbish collection too,” one person commented.

Others noted driving tests are still being carried out in arterial roads during peak hours, which will essentially mean new learners will get their first taste of driving through traffic in a busy road while on their tests.

However, other people argued Transport Malta’s move is a necessary evil as part of a holistic national clampdown on traffic, and this one person perhaps summed the entire solution up perfectly. 

“No one likes it when an initiative affects them directly but at the same time everyone keeps on moaning about the traffic problems,” he said. “We the people have to be the solution! This is just one of many initiatives which if combined together will help ease the flow of traffic!”

Do you agree with the ban on learner vehicles in peak hours? Let us know in the comments’ section

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]