The Malta Independent 23 October 2026, Friday
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Rota calls for urgent investment in walking and cycling infrastructure as Malta’s population grows

Malta must urgently invest in safe walking and cycling infrastructure to prevent worsening traffic congestion as its population continues to grow, cycling advocacy NGO Rota said in a...

latest comment from KLAUS, 23/10/2026 07:37: Malta’s Cycling Infrastructure Is a National Disgrace and Rota Is Right to Demand Action Rota is absolutely right. Something must be done urgently. Malta’s approach to cycling infrastructure is not merely inadequate; it is putting people’s lives at risk. Malta appears to be lagging far behind the rest of Europe when it comes to basic cycling safety. Even traffic lights without dedicated pedestrian phases remain a concern. Just look at the traffic layout around Malta International Airport: it seems designed almost exclusively around cars, with little regard for pedestrians and cyclists. For anyone on a bicycle, navigating such an environment can feel less like travelling and more like fighting for survival. Then there is the cycling path near EuroSpin in Marsa. Malta has managed to provide a stretch of approximately 1(!) kilometre with 4 (!) crossings. A cycle path that repeatedly forces cyclists to negotiate traffic is hardly a serious commitment to safe cycling. Infrastructure should protect vulnerable road users, not simply create the appearance of progress. And what about the minimum distance motorists should maintain when overtaking cyclists? Malta urgently needs clear, consistently enforced rules that give cyclists adequate space and protection. Put bluntly, Malta’s cycling infrastructure is operating at a level that would be unacceptable in countries that have taken sustainable mobility seriously for decades. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Malta should bring in independent experts from cycling nations such as the Netherlands and act on their recommendations without delay. These countries have demonstrated that cycling infrastructure can be safe, practical and attractive when it is designed around people rather than the convenience of cars. The benefits are obvious. Particularly with e-Bikes, cycling can be remarkably fast and efficient for everyday journeys. In many cases, it can compete with or even outperform
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Abela outlines long awaited planning reform in Parliament, defends construction industry

Development permits would be automatically suspended while planning appeals are being heard under proposed reforms outlined by Prime Minister Robert Abela in Parliament, as the Government seeks to...

latest comment from onDmove, 22/10/2026 08:22: Let's ask a simple question, what kept the Planning Authority from withdrawing permits declared illegal by the EPRT or the Courts and order the removal of the swimming pools or the offending block against a significant daily fine? That tool is already there.
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Maltese MEPs clash over Malta’s rule of law during European Parliament debate

A debate on the rule of law in the European Parliament saw Maltese MEPs sharply disagree over the state of Malta’s institutions, the handling of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder and the...

latest comment from RF, 22/10/2026 02:11: How ridiculous of Labour MEP Agius Saliba to contradict PN MEPs at EU Parliament about Malta's abysmal lack of proper rule of law under Labour governments. All other countries' MEPs know that Muscat and Abela have not fully implemented the Public Inquiry's recommendations and shamed Malta. It is our right to defend the reputation of our country tainted by Labour.
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Updated: KTP calls for Grade 1 scheduling of Palazzina Vincenti and its expropriation for public use

The Kamra tal-Periti (Chamber of Architects) is calling on the Planning Authority to urgently upgrade the scheduling of Palazzina Vincenti in St Julian's from Grade 2 to Grade 1, in view of the...

latest comment from RF, 22/10/2026 19:45: Isn't a 13-storey hotel planned for this site? Is there no limit for developers taking every historic or building of value for yet another hotel? Who is financing all these structures? I suspect the elusive owner of the notorious Egrant offshore account has a finger in most of these ugly buildings.
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