TLC by ELC means Malta's roundabouts are oases of green

The place to find green all year round in Malta isn’t the countryside, but our manicured urban areas. Here, roundabouts sport neat turf, irrigation sprinklers (sometimes on in the full heat of summer at 1pm for some reason), evergreen trees and a variety of annual colour – flowering rosemary, gaudily bright pelargoniums and various bedding plants.

The area of even turf can be so large on some roundabouts that kids in the back of my car often remark that they’d make tempting places to play football. Pitches here are Astroturf or gritty dust bowls usually.

Where do Malta’s green fingers come from?
The colour and variety of our roundabouts changes almost monthly as the public-private cooperative, Environmental Landscapes Consortium (ELC), that maintains them, seems to have a constant supply of seasonal plants from its Wied Incita Nursery on the Attard-Mdina/Rabat road. And, of course, replanting all the time keeps people nicely employed. I do wonder at tender pansies out in late February when they can be beaten down in an instant by the vicious rains and high winds we can still have this time of year.

A delight for drivers
Since Malta has large urban areas, with towns cheek by jowl, and a high density of cars on the road per head of population (Malta ranks 5th worldwide for cars per 1,000 people) we drivers spend a lot of time crawling along. So, we’ve have come to appreciate the greening of our urban landscape that has been going on since 2003 when ELC started up. For an interesting read on Malta’s car density issue, click here, and scroll down.

The approach to Valletta along St Anne street, Floriana is always a riot of colour despite registering some of Malta’s worst emission and particulate pollution. The roundabouts in Qormi, another heavily urban area, are a welcome sight as are the planted-up central reservations on the Regional Road. Even several countryside verges have had a make-over.

We’ve also bougainvillea attempting to clad the unsightly walls on the Kappara hill part of the Regional Road. How they will be watered in so dangerous a place till their roots find solace deep below Tarmac, I don’t know.

Urban safety first, urban plants second
In fact, the only negative thing I can say about the whole urban verge and roundabout greening is the traffic hazard posed by the badly parked vans of the maintenance staff or bowsers. It’s quite common to round a bend or emerge from a tunnel and suddenly find a maintenance van parked in your lane without prior warning. A few cones aren’t enough; we need notices saying ‘lane closed, men at work in 500m’, to give us time to change lane safely and avoid screeching to a halt with the potential of a mass of ‘front-to-rear’ bumps. I am waiting for the day an ELC man or a bowser guy is mowed down too.

We like the green, but with a few more cones, some commonsense and caution, we’d like the greening that much more.

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If only they were all less eagle eyed!

There was a time in Malta, up to the early 90s, when the islands had one set of traffic lights, few roundabouts, and no drink-driving limits. These were also the heady days when all roads were more pothole than Tarmac. If you’d been used to driving abroad, driving in Malta was not only the same adventure it is today, but had an even more reckless, gung-ho feel about it.

In those days, I remember seeing cars going the wrong way round a roundabout (if turning right, why go all the way round?), reversing around roundabouts, and more frequently than now, stopping mid roundabout to drop off passengers.

I read recently that in Italy, many German motorists, once over the Alpine border, drive far more casually and carelessly than they would back home, simply because they feel traffic laws aren’t enforced so well in Italy. Well, in Malta today, you can expect quite rigorous traffic control and monitoring, so don’t be fooled just because you see some natives still meandering around the road breaking laws.

Here, we do a round up of the traffic control methods to keep your beady eye out for, to avoid mishap. First some useful links:

Malta’s Highway Code
Malta Local Government site FAQs on all aspects of fines, contraventions, by-laws etc.
EU site listing Malta’s fines (drink drive, failing to stop at red light etc).
Who makes what money from the fines!
Malta Facebook group against new speed cameras (great resource!).

Wardens

The local warden service has just celebrated its 10th birthday. When it first started, most people were enthusiastic about its introduction, and looking forward to improvements in not only the lackadaisical driving and parking but also a tidier Malta as they had litter patrol duties too.

The wardens have three responsibilities in the area of enforcement: to educate, to deter and, finally, to enforce. The system is operated by a private management company which also runs the growing speed camera network. There have been some low points in the service’s history (with the murder of a female warden in Gozo in 2001 while she was on duty), and there are always mumblings around the heavy handedness of their ticket issuing, which some allege is to fill quotas.

On the whole, wardens are part of a modern European state and the system is needed here. Motorists worldwide hate wardens, let’s face it. I do have my reservations sometimes about their ability to direct traffic clearly. Very often when they are posted to road works, I’ve seen them haphazardly directing traffic (safely?) around the obstacle. I often think timed, traffic lights would do a better job.

Watching out for them...Mostly, you’ll need to worry about them when you park. Certain areas like Sliema, Valletta, San Gwann, St Julian’s, Naxxar and Mosta (the key urban areas really) have heavy warden presence and they regularly check parking time limits (get a disc from local council offices). Beware the numerous local regulations – parking limits, residents’-only parking spaces (marked blue in Valletta), and odd notices like the one in my alley saying ‘park front bumper to kerb’. My neighbour was issued a ticket for having reversed into the space!

Be aware also that a lot of restrictions (disabled-only spaces) are painted on the Tarmac and so fade off in the sun. I found my car towed away once after I’d parked at night in a space that had from what I could see no indication it was restricted. I could barely see the lettering in daylight either.

Most large roundabouts are patrolled by hawk-eyed traffic wardens or police, particularly during rush hour – hence the queues you find approaching them. At these times, make sure you indicate, and obey roundabout rules as you may well get pulled over; if for nothing else, a spot check of your tax disc.

Speed cameras: A short note on these as they are sprouting like mushrooms, but we’re almost learning to live with them. The main worry about them is the varying speed limits they’re ‘enforcing’. Some main bypasses and country roads have limits of 60Km while others are 70km. You can easily forget which camera watches which limit and get caught out. The fine is Eur 70.

Traffic Police

These are a rarer breed than wardens, but often stay together like birds of a feather. They lurk on the side of roundabouts or watch wide country roads (Attard-Mdina) to make sure no one goes across the no-overtaking double white lines. You may be behind a crawling veggie lorry, but don’t be tempted to overtake as with your luck, it’ll be the day a policeman is on duty there.

Traffic police do have a habit of sneaking up behind you, if you aren’t using your rear view mirror much, that is. They mostly just want to get past, light flashing, but as they do so they will be eyeing your vehicle up for any infringement of the law. Generally, they pull over ancient vehicles and lorries carrying heavy loads (stone, rubble etc). If you have an overseas number plate, they will almost certainly pull you over to check whether you have either the ‘tourist’ permit to drive it in Malta or whether you’ve paid the vehicle registration taxes on import. They are very prickly and stiff about this. So have paperwork to hand.

Traffic police have a certain air about them with their helmets, black boots and massive motorbikes. While seeming intimidating, I’ve found them generally reasonable (bar on one occasion) and amazingly helpful when you’re stuck out in floods on wet, windy nights! One arrived like a white knight when my car died in Qormi near Pavi Supermarket.

Parkers

An odd breed this; and one that may well be extinct soon. In a few years, I am sure ‘pay-and-display’ ticketing systems will replace them with one single guy who does spot checks on lots of car parks. They must be licensed to do their job, though they never sport badges. They vaguely wave you into a space in areas that can look like proper car parks (Mdina bastion parking, Golden Bay, Valletta’s ditch) or just be rough off-the-road spots. They can be amusing (Golden Bay parker is a great guy), or just odd-ball types lurking around (old men, who’ve done the job for years in all weathers like the one I used to see at Hagar Qim).

You just need to tip them something – anything from 50c upwards according to how long you’ve parked, your generosity and whether you’ve chatted with them a bit and so on. Keep spare change handy as you won’t get change back. Do pay them, even if you think the system balmy and antiquated. It seems to be a livelihood all year round for some! A relic of old Malta…

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A well-preserved vintage model on Malta's roads. It can take years to pass the driving test too!

Even though the minimum age for driving in Malta is 18, there is a considerable number of luckless and frustrated twenty-somethings who still do not possess a driver’s licence – and not for lack of trying. While there are some for whom not driving is a personal lifestyle choice, the vast majority of Maltese youngsters can’t wait to obtain that much-sought-after and almost mythical legal document signifying a blessed release from the horrors of public transport.

Malta’s Car Culture

The Maltese have embraced a private car culture –  there is at least one car in circulation for every two people – and this places high social pressure on young people to obtain their license as quickly as possible. Owning and driving a car signifies increased independence and grants freedom of movement: you’re suddenly free to completely avoid Paceville on a weekend outing and look for an alternative instead. Yet the system in place often seems to deliberately obstruct such a goal. Statistics show that almost 60% of people fail their driving test first time.

Getting that licence…

With such odds, it is important to know exactly what to do and what to avoid if you want to get behind the wheel in a time- and cost-effective way. Getting a driving license can quickly become a massive financial burden if you’re not careful. While reform of the system is on the horizon for 2010, the costs involved can still quickly shoot up into the hundreds of euros. Most of the problems encountered can be effectively eliminated by being prepared to not let them arise in the first place. This means preparation has to start from before you take your first lesson.

Tips to take to heart

I speak from experience: at the time of writing I have been taking regular driving lessons for almost two years and have been failed three times on my test. Nevertheless, in retrospect, the torturous experience allows me to understand what I did wrong and to see what I would have done differently. Take these tips to heart:

• Set your agenda by answering these questions: why do you want to learn to drive? Are you sufficiently motivated? For how long are you willing to pay for regular driving lessons? Be methodical when choosing your motoring school: do not rush ahead and simply sign up with the first familiar sounding service. You would regret doing this later. Even if a particular school has been recommended by a trusty friend, look that service up.  The internet is your best friend: search for reviews and clients’ reactions.
• Obtain a pass in the theory test which is held at the Test Centre in G’Mangia, easily found by taking the first left to the side of St Luke’s Hospital. The test is multiple choice and can be taken either in English or Maltese. You do not need to wait for your instructor to give you the go-ahead. To prepare yourself, you can obtain a copy of the question bank in CD format from the Floriana Driver Licensing Unit against a fee of €6.9. You can also peruse The Highway Code on which most of the questions are based.
• Make a list of 7 or 8 schools to contact by visiting the website of the Transport Authority. Try and include some small or lesser known names as these tend to have a smaller number of clients, which in turn may result in a shorter waiting list when the time comes for you to apply for the test.

Choosing the right driving school

Know what you need to ask each school before you enlist. Do not allow yourself to be sidetracked. Take notes as to the answers given so you can make an informed decision later. Questions you should definitely ask include:

• The duration of lessons: some schools only offer 45 minute lessons while others range between one hour up to 90 minutes. Decide according to which duration is in line with your goals and which you would feel most comfortable with.
• The fee for each lesson: this may range between 12 euros up to 22 euros and is frequently linked to the duration of the session. Make sure you know clearly what the fees are beforehand and also that your school won’t up the fee without your knowing.
• The frequency of the sessions: establish a routine beforehand and stick to it. You might prefer two shorter lessons each week or one longer one every fortnight. Whatever your choice, keeping a rhythm to your lessons will help you develop a learning pattern.
• Any extra charges: some schools ask for a fee which acts as insurance against any potential accident or damages to its cars. Also, most schools require you to pay a service fee when applying for the test on your behalf: while the ADT fee is € 23.95 some motoring schools may ask for a fee of up to € 80 when applying on your behalf.

And finally…

• Don’t believe rumours: Check things out – make sure to check with the relevant authorities about anything you might hear before assuming it is true. For example, it is a common myth that in order to switch motoring schools once lessons have started, one has to pay a high fee. In truth, If your motoring school does not nominate you for the test within 12 months, one simply has to file a fresh application form.
• Establish a conversation with your instructor: Ask for help in identifying weak spots at the end of each lesson and request feedback the next time round. Do not be afraid to complain if you feel time is being wasted from your lessons. Ask questions and do not allow yourself to be guided along as this will simply increase the number of unnecessary lessons you have to take.
• Keep to time frames: Be aware that if your motoring school does not nominate you for the test within a year of starting lessons, you must inform the ADT in writing that you are still interested in obtaining the license. Failing to do so will cause your application to expire.

Above all…Aim to learn to drive rather than learning simply to get your license. Try and enjoy the experience and do not think of it as a chore.

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There are a lot of steps to climb if you want to import a car into Malta!

This is probably one of the most difficult topics we’ve covered. We can only guide you, provide some personal insights and give you a feeling for what’s involved. We’ll be building on this article, adding to the body of links here. Your insights will be invaluable too.

Basic background
If you are foreign and importing a car into Malta to drive it here beyond the six months deemed permissible as a ‘tourist’ stay, then you will have to pay a vehicle registration tax (though may be eligible for an exemption). If you have a Maltese ID card, you will not be able to drive the car beyond the ferry and home, if that, without having it licensed here. With Maltese ID, you cannot claim to be a tourist visiting.

Vehicle Registration Tax
Malta has among the highest registration taxes for most types of vehicles. Some concessions were made in the 2008 budget, effective from 1 January 2009, that reduced the tax on some small- and medium-sized vehicles but increased them for larger ones. The new system was introduced to encourage us to purchase/import more environmentally-friendly cars so the calculations involve the registered value (RV), car length, carbon dioxide emission volumes and particulate matter volumes (diesel only). Also, under the new system comes a useful exemption – private individuals relocating to Malta will be able to bring in a car they’ve owned for two or more years without having to pay vehicle registration tax here. This exemption is limited to one vehicle per person relocating.

Of key interest to those bringing a car into Malta is the Registration Value (RV). The old system depended on a valuation carried out by the Malta Transport Authority and was a somewhat haphazard affair I’ve heard. But now, to quote the official document: “As of 1st January 2009, the valuation system [is] replaced with a new system which will take into account the depreciation rate (and residual value) of a similar vehicle in Malta, and [is] available online. The system [allows] the user to calculate the tax that would be due if the vehicle were to be registered.”

Vehicle registation tax rates have long been a contentious issue, among both local Maltese and incoming residents – the latter often left facing a nasty tax shock when their six months’ temporary vehicle permit (tourist stay period on the vehicle) is up! It can still be the case, when the RV calculations are done, that you face car registration taxes that are higher than the real value of the car. But, since used car prices hold up in Malta (see photo above for how we keep our cars going!), you might end up selling it here and not losing out too much in the long run, depending on vehicle type and its demand.

If you do end up driving a car with foreign plates for several months here, but within your six-month, temporary permit period (which you should get earlier rather than later in your stay!), you might be pulled over by ADT (Malta Transport Authority) officials doing road-side, spot checks. They can be officious. Know your rights – click here for some advice on how to deal with this.

Procedures
These are quite long and complicated and we’ve some links to help get you through them.
ADT site ‘Registration, Tax & Documentation‘ page gives you a blow by blow list of the procedures and what paperwork you’ll need.
The Malta Chamber for SMEs – the GRTU – has an unofficial guide that makes for an interesting read, and mirrors the official one step by step.
British Expat Forum – Malta has lots of Q&A threads that are worth spending an hour drilling through.

Official Links:
The ADT is the Malta Transport Authority. Its site has downloadable forms and details of the various, possibly useful, tax exemptions such as for overseas’ students or people taking up fixed-term, contract work in Malta who wish to bring their own car in with them for their stay.
http://www.maltatransport.com/en/

http://www.valuation.vehicleregistration.gov.mt/Car.aspx This is a quick, online calculator of the RV you can expect to pay.

Expat Insights
If expats have friends already here, they know the ropes and often opt to hire or buy in situ in Malta. Average hire car rates, for a family car (Ford Focus) on long-term hire, can be around €10/day.

Here’s one car import tale:
“Bringing the car in was fairly easy as you are given a 6 month visitor’s permit. However, the hassle started once this permit ran out. We were being asked to pay massive duty on the car (I think it was about 60% of the total car value) to get Maltese registration or send it back to the UK. Finally, after many meetings and heated discussions my husband ended up meeting both the finance and transport ministers (eds. note: Malta is small, and if your business has clout or you have connections, it’s possible!….) to get them to agree on an exemption for cars of incoming foreign staff at our firm. This meant we only had to pay a comparatively small fee to get it registered. The ADT seem to have clamped down significantly on foreign cars. Our main issues were: (1) duties and (2) the whole minefield of a procedure for getting the car registered.

Would I do it again? Maybe if laws on duty were relaxed – but at the time? No! It was major hassle and meant we couldn’t drive the car for months on end once the permit had expired. One guy I know in the same firm had his car seized and was told: either pay the duty or put the car on the next ferry out of Malta.

Another person’s experience…
We now have some kind of deal on vehicle registration tax because we have had the car more than 2 yrs and therefore fulfilled another criteria. We paid around €300 to get it registered with ADT, BUT they have our UK plates and logbook – which basically means we can’t sell the car here. Unless of course we pay the import duty, which seems to be assessed also, unofficial word has it, on the state of your car; if it looks a bit bashed up, you are more likely to get a lower rate!”

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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Rainy days and Mondays, perhaps not the best days to tout for rides.

Manoeuvering Maltese roads is bad enough. Our driving skills come close to those of our Italian and Arab neighbours. But what’s even worse is being stuck in a Maltese rush hour jam near Valletta in the vicinity of a karozzin.

Yesterday morning the juxtaposition of old and new rankled. A karozzin driver gabbling into an iPhone, yanking the lead on the horse with his free hand, creates a domino effect of crazy manoeuvres by irate cars with dents, their occupants half-gawping, half running over the entrepreneur and his beast.

I have yet to meet a local who has owned up to having been in a karozzin when sober. In Malta, karozzin drivers’ street cred is almost at a par with our ‘allegedly’ rude bus drivers. It’s a reputation that has been built over some fifty years’ of tourism. Go to Valletta, Mdina, or Rabat, in Gozo, and you will find some naive tourist trying to negotiate a way out of being almost press-ganged into ‘having a ride with the cabbie’ or a ‘tour round the harbour’ or whatever comes out of the cabbies’ mouths. Poet-laureates these guys aren’t. They’re safeguarded as a component of Malta’s tourism, and yet they’re often seen hassling tourists or anyone with fair hair; their horses generally look world weary; and their ‘guiding capabilities’ leave much to be desired from the snippets you hear as they trundle by.

I don’t want to stereotype and tar them all with the same brush. I know every country has its ‘tourism’ artefacts, its ‘living souvenirs’. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing quaint about the karozzin. Vienna has its Fiakr – open horse-drawn carriages – that are polished to the hilt and driven by well-turned out men in uniform. A totally different experience, if costly (but our equivalent can be too). Fiakr can pass being described as ‘romantic’; a word that hardly trips off the tongue in relation to Malta’s karozzin, although I know many wedding organisers do add karozzin to the list of bride and groom transport.

So what makes tourists jump into a karozzin in Malta, get fleeced, and then return home to flood Flickr with their pictures?

Or have I got this all wrong?

Photo: courtesy of Kevin Archaeo

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A typical Maltese shop; but not shopping as most expats know it.

Despite having lived, worked and travelled in many different countries, coming to live in Malta took a lot of getting used to. Of course, there is no massive culture shock or language barrier to negotiate; my British sense of humour is understood; there’s shared history; and shops stock Marmite and Heinz Baked Beans.

But, there are of course some things to get used to in order to settle in to a new pattern of life. Most of my early struggles were about getting around and shopping.

Here’s how I dealt with them and why I get a smile on my face when I reflect on them now.

Things to despair over (at first)

Getting Around

Walking: In August, heavily pregnant, with two very young kids – on pavements which are either non-existent, look as if they were built on a fault line and are just too narrow for a buggy. I tried, I really did.
Driving: I was used to walking to shops, pools and parks, bussing to museums, tubing to work. Here in Malta, most things are a drive away – albeit a short one – but that means braving the roads…
The Roads: Potholes a plenty – unless there’s a big sign announcing EU funding for works. Make sure your tyres have a bit of give in them.
The Road signs: Key junctions and roundabouts are bereft of signs… maps don’t help. Allow plenty of time, know the general direction you are heading in, and memorise the place names, just in case there is a random sign.
The Road Users: Snail snow or furiously fast. Overtaking irresistable, particularly on hills, blind curves, approaching junctions etc. No use of indicators, ever. I now drive very defensively, and usually very calmly.

Shopping

Opening Hours: In my village, I think the shops open at 6am. I know they close between 12 and 4, but don’t re-open on a Wednesday afternoon, or a Saturday afternoon, and never on a Sunday. But I now know where to get the UK papers on a Sunday morning, and where to get fresh bread any time of day or night.
Milk: In the UK, I used to buy 4-litre recyclable cartons to last the family a few days. In Malta, milk comes in non-recyclable cartons and 1 litre is the biggest size – which in the heat of summer can go off anyway before you get it home.
Hawkers: The best type of ‘man with a van’ (I rarely see female hawkers), where I love to get bread, fruit, veg and fish which are fresh that morning. If I can find the van that is! Different days and times mean it’s in different locations. I still haven’t figured it out, and have been known to drive round the village in hot pursuit.
Choice: I used to live on little tubs of hummous, bagged salad, any fruit and veg, any time of year, preferably hand-picked from organic slopes, the odd ready meal…I was shocked that none of this was available. But my wallet and my waistline have benefited.
With Kids: In the village store, aisles are narrow, shelves stacked precariously and cakes at toddlers’ eye level. Very stressful. Supermarkets have more space, but none had trollies with seats for more than one child. Very uncharacteristically, very few people offered to help with unloading/packing bags/getting to the car.

….And the delights

Getting Around

Traffic Jams are practically non-existent – once every few months I may get stuck for 10 minutes if I’m very unlucky. Though, accidents do gridlock roads pretty quickly.
Vintage vehicles: The ancient, cherished cars and vans still delight me – I even saw a motorbike with a side car the other day.
The buses: Always cheap, usually reliable, often full of character – and a great outing with the kids!
Getting lost: Many times I have stopped to ask someone directions, and they have jumped into the car to direct me and make sure I know where to park.

Shopping

Everyone delivers: So I don’t need to brave the narrow aisles with the incomprehensible queue-jumping or the terrible trollies. One ex-pat friend with a new-born would SMS the veg man and get the baker to leave ftira on her door. All with no charge and lots of smiles.
Less choice means less temptation: I just don’t really shop much, which means I save loads of money, and my kids aren’t hanging out in malls and exposed to rampant consumerism.
Fresh, seasonal produce: In the UK people will pay a premium for locally-grown fruit and veg. Here, it’s a fact of life – if we could buy tasteless strawberries 365 days a year, would we still enjoy the sublime taste of the local harvest in early summer?

All this, makes me smile, and it still does…

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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One wreck, one mean machine, and patchy Tarmac: a typical sight on Malta's roads

Why don’t most drivers in Malta indicate? Perhaps the heat makes twitching that hand on the indicator too much effort? But, then again, it’s a year-round problem.

If the car in front does bother to indicate, don’t be fooled – it may well turn in the opposite direction from that indicated. Often, a driver will indicate after, or at best when making the manoeuvre. I’ve coined the term ‘explanator’ for the indicator’s use here in Malta.

Driving in Malta, especially if you’re new to the islands, can be daunting. For some, it’s sheer fun; for others, it’s sheer hell. It’s got better in my 15 years here. I used to see people going the wrong way round roundabouts to take a short cut.

I’ve been a passenger in a car in Tripoli, Libya (a white knuckle ride) and driven in Italy. Malta presents a far easier driving experience than those. All the more so if you come from a nation with right-hand drive vehicles. So, don’t be put off. Car hire is still good value here compared to most in the EU. And a hire car can get you places route buses can’t quickly or easily. But…

…you’ll need to keep your wits about you if you do hire a car in Malta. Here are some tips to safer driving in Malta:

Drive on the left.
But expect cars to be anywhere on the road, dodging potholes, or driving in the shade, as we like to joke! Many drivers drift out of their lane, so beware when overtaking on dual-lane roads and watch out for drifting on multi-lane gyratory systems and roundabouts.

Roundabout etiquette
Give way to the right on approach, but if you’re on the roundabout, expect cars to shoot on in front of you. Roundabouts are still, literally, a hit and miss affair with rules. I’ve seen people park to let out passengers on roundabouts, reverse on them, and double park on the edges to have a chat. Also, drivers often get in the wrong lane on the roundabout and cut you up when they exit.

Side Junctions
Many drivers don’t seem able to judge your speed/distance when they’re turning out onto a main road. They often lurch out into your path, and then crawl! You’ll end up checking your breaks at each and every side junction you pass as knee-jerk reaction to this phenomenon! It’s the kangeroo-effect driving!

Vehicles with “Y” plates
Maltese number plates have three letters, and three numbers. Beware those whose last letter is “Y”. They are taxis, minibuses, buses, public transport vehicles and so on. They know the roads, and drive often as if they own them.

K number plates
These are hire cars. While not all K reg. cars are hired by visitors to Malta, try to allow drivers of these cars some leeway, and hang back. Visitors may well not know the roads, or where they are (highly likely given the signposting).

Road quality
This has improved a lot in recent years, thanks to upgrades part-funded by the EU. Most main arterial roads are reasonably good. But the Birkirkara by-pass, and road north to the Gozo ferry are very patchy. And good road surfaces can suddenly come to an end and disintegrate into road works, potholes, ruts and worse. A friend of mine got her car stuck in ruts – not the historic cart ruts of course – on the Dingli Cliff road last winter, and had to be towed out!

Overtaking
It’s not supposed to be the American freeway system here, but make sure your inside wing mirror is in tact, as you’ll need it! Overtaking on the inside is very common, as is weaving in and out of traffic lanes, at speed, and without indicating!

Speed
Limits are 80km/hr on open roads, and 50km/hr in built-up areas. But you won’t get much faster anyway and expect to be at 70km/hr and 35km/hr in reality. Watch out for local speed limits. Local councils have imposed numerous speed restriction, often accompanied by a speed camera. Also, be aware that Maltese drivers like to drive in spurts – particularly near speed cameras – either full speed or at a crawl, so expect erratic speeds from the cars around you!

Driving licences
National and international driving licences are accepted.

Insurance
Wise to take our fully comprehensive if you hire.

Public Transport
Buses tend to pull in and out of bus stops, or just stop to let passengers off without indicating. But if you aren’t tempted to drive, it’s worth knowing that around 50 per cent of Malta’s visitors don’t hire a car here and bus it instead. Buses are cheap and reliable (mostly) but slow, can be crowded and are always steaming hot in summer.

Malta Highway Code
This mirrors the UK Highway Code. Click here to read.

Photo: Alex Grech
Additional research for this post: Annabel Mallia.

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