A first for Transport Malta: using intelligent transport systems to make active mobility safer

A first for Transport Malta: using intelligent transport systems to make active mobility safer

Project CF.06.276 – Connections for Safer Active Mobility (C-SAM)

EU COHESION POLICY PROGRAMME 2021–2027
Priority 6 – Sustainable Urban Mobility | Specific Objective RSO2.8
This project is co-financed by the European Union’s Cohesion Fund 2021-2027.

Malta’s transition towards more sustainable mobility is not only about creating new cycling routes. It is also about making those routes safer, smarter and capable of being understood and managed as part of the wider transport network.
This is the thinking behind Transport Malta’s contribution to Project CF.06.276 – Connections for Safer Active Mobility (C-SAM).

For Transport Malta, the project represents an important first: bringing together cycling-specific detection, warning, counting, monitoring and digital infrastructure within one coordinated Intelligent Transport Systems environment.
Rather than treating cycling infrastructure as something separate from the rest of the transport network, C-SAM is creating the foundations for active mobility to become part of the same connected operational environment used to manage traffic, monitor road conditions and support transport planning.

Safety at the centre of the project

Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, particularly at junctions and other locations where different traffic movements interact. Physical cycling infrastructure is therefore only one part of the solution. Technology can provide another important layer of protection.

Through C-SAM, Transport Malta will introduce systems capable of detecting cyclists at strategic locations and communicating their presence to other road users. Cycling warning signs and dedicated cycling signal heads will support safer interaction at locations where cyclists cross, merge with or travel close to vehicular traffic.

The objective is to make the presence of cyclists more visible and predictable.

At a junction, for example, technology can help identify that a cyclist is approaching and trigger the appropriate warning or traffic-control response. Dedicated signal arrangements can provide clearer separation between conflicting movements, while monitoring systems can help operators identify conditions requiring attention.

The result is a more proactive approach to road safety, one that uses technology to complement infrastructure rather than relying solely on signs, markings or physical separation.

Understanding how Malta’s cycling network is actually being used

Another major element of C-SAM is data.

Bicycle-counting and active-mobility totems will provide reliable information on how many cyclists are using particular routes, in which direction they are travelling and how usage changes over time.

This is important because good transport planning requires more than assumptions.

Reliable cycling data can help Transport Malta understand whether new infrastructure is attracting users, identify patterns during different times of day, compare activity between corridors and determine where further improvements may be required.
It also means that future investment in active mobility can increasingly be based on evidence collected directly from the network.

The first bicycle-counting equipment being delivered through C-SAM has already completed factory acceptance testing and is moving towards deployment. Once operational, this infrastructure will begin creating a clearer picture of cycling activity across the routes covered by the project.

Giving traffic operators greater visibility

CCTV and monitoring infrastructure will provide another important safety and operational layer.

Cameras positioned at identified locations will allow conditions along the active-mobility network to be monitored and incidents to be verified more quickly. For traffic operators, this means better situational awareness.

If an obstruction develops on a cycling route, if an incident occurs near a junction or if unusual traffic conditions create a potential safety concern, operators can obtain a clearer understanding of what is happening on the ground. This information can support faster coordination and more informed operational decisions.

Importantly, the aim is not to create isolated CCTV or cycling systems. Where technically applicable, information from C-SAM infrastructure will be connected to Transport Malta’s wider Intelligent Transport Systems environment and the National Traffic Control Centre.

This is what makes the approach different. Cycling becomes part of the wider operational picture of Malta’s transport network.

From individual equipment to one connected system

Some of the most important parts of C-SAM will not necessarily be visible to people travelling along the routes.
Behind the bicycle counters, warning signs, signals and cameras will be the communications and digital infrastructure required to make those systems work reliably.

Transport Malta is strengthening its high-availability and backup infrastructure so that connected ITS services can continue operating even when individual components experience technical problems.

Communications infrastructure will allow information generated on the road to reach central systems, while system integration will allow the different components to work together rather than operate as independent devices.

DETECT - Identify cycling movements and interactions.
INFORM - Warn road users and improve awareness.
MONITOR - Give operators a clearer network picture.
LEARN - Use data to improve future decisions.

Supporting complete journeys

C-SAM also looks beyond cycling infrastructure itself.

E-bike hubs will support shorter and first- or last-mile journeys, helping people connect active mobility with public transport and other transport services.

Field-monitoring and data-capture equipment will support inspections, route monitoring, safety assessments and the collection of information needed to understand how infrastructure performs once it is operational.

Together, these elements contribute to a broader objective: making sustainable mobility a more realistic option for everyday journeys.

Building the next generation of active mobility

C-SAM therefore represents much more than the installation of new equipment. It introduces a new way of thinking about active mobility.

Cycling infrastructure becomes something that can be detected, monitored, measured and integrated into the wider transport-management system.

This will help improve safety for vulnerable road users today while also creating the data and operational capabilities needed to plan better infrastructure tomorrow.

As implementation progresses, Transport Malta will move increasingly towards the installation, integration, commissioning and operation of these systems.

The long-term objective is a network where physical infrastructure, intelligent transport systems and mobility data work together – helping Malta create safer conditions for cyclists while supporting a wider transition towards sustainable and multimodal transport.

European Union investment in sustainable mobility

The Connections for Safer Active Mobility (C-SAM) – Project CF.06.276 forms part of the EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027, under Priority 6 – Sustainable Urban Mobility, Specific Objective RSO2.8.

Through this investment, European funding is supporting the development of infrastructure and technology that can help make active mobility safer, more attractive and better integrated into Malta’s transport system.