Politics · Other · 6 hrs ago
Malta offers drivers €25,000 to give up their licences for five years
Malta is offering €25,000 to drivers who give up their licences for at least five years, in an effort to reduce traffic.
The country has nearly one car per resident and is described as Europe’s most congested.
Applicants whose cases are accepted cannot drive in Malta or anywhere else during the five-year period.
They can get their licences back after completing a 15-hour driving course.
So far, 145 people have applied out of about 100,000 eligible, as many drivers say they depend on their cars.
Buses are free for residents, but the service is considered unreliable, and some say there are too few alternatives to driving.
The government plans to spend €5 million a year on the scheme, though the sources do not say when it will next be reviewed.
Malta is offering drivers €25,000 to give up their driving licences for at least five years, in a bid to address worsening traffic congestion.
Only 145 people had applied, out of 100,000 who could be eligible, according to franceinfo.
Applicants who are accepted cannot drive in Malta or anywhere else during the five-year period.
They can get their licences back after completing a 15-hour driving course.
Many young people interviewed said they rely too much on cars or see them as a source of independence.
- Who
- The Maltese government is offering the incentive to motorists who give up their licences.
- What
- Drivers can receive €25,000 if they stop driving for at least five years.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- Malta.
- Why
- The government wants to address worsening traffic congestion and the high number of cars.
Maltese government
Drivers reluctant to give up their licences
Purpose of the scheme
Maltese government
The government is offering €25,000 to encourage people to stop driving and help address congestion.
Drivers reluctant to give up their licences
Some drivers said they depend on their cars and are unwilling to give them up.
Transport alternatives
Maltese government
Not stated.
Drivers reluctant to give up their licences
A driver said there were not enough alternatives to driving, while a transport journalist described the bus service as unreliable.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Incentive
- €25,000
- Licence suspension
- At least five years
- Licence reinstatement
- After a 15-hour driving course
- Applications
- 145 people had applied
- Potential eligibility
- 100,000 people
- Government spending plan
- €5 million per year
What people are saying
I feel better on a bicycle than in a car. As you can hear, people get angry quickly in cars.
At 18, everyone wants their own car. It is a symbol of independence.
When you have an appointment at a precise time, you have to allow half an hour more than the journey time.
They have a kind of divine right to park wherever they want for free. So the roads are made narrower by these rows of cars on each side.