With 316 square kilometres, Malta is the smallest country in the European Union. The country could fit eight times into the area of Luxembourg. But don’t be fooled by this country’s size. Maltese roads span 3 096 kilometres. With a rising population and a growing economy, road traffic is showing no signs of slowing.

Road safety and the improvement of roads are priorities for Malta. In line with a new road safety directive, the government transport authority, Transport Malta, asked the Safer Transport Platform for help. The Safer Transport Platform — Road Safety Advisory is an initiative launched by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. This platform is a gateway to technical assistance and advice on finding financing for road safety projects.

This assignment offered advice on a road safety management system in Malta. This included piloting a network-wide road safety assessment, determining infrastructure safety on Maltese primary roads and developing a plan to invest in road safety infrastructure.

EIB experts and external consultants mobilised by the European Investment Advisory Hub reviewed the existing system for managing road safety in Malta and the Hub provided a framework to perform road safety rating assessments, including training and knowledge-building requirements. This support was key to helping the transport authority meet its goals.

With the assistance of the Safer Transport Platform, Transport Malta is now in a position to effectively implement the requirements of the new Road Infrastructure Safety Management Directive and help save lives on Europe’s roads.