The roads problem and the WSC

I refer to Mr Chris Grech's letter "A solution to the roads problem" (The Sunday Times, March 19).

Your correspondent offered some interesting advice on how the authorities can improve the roads, adding that the Water Services Corporation and MEPA should be forced to work together to lay pipes before tarmac is laid.

We think that Mr Grech is perfectly correct - which is why what he suggested has been our standard practice for many years.

When roads are redone, all services are upgraded or replaced before tarmac is applied as a matter of course. Moreover, there is an ongoing agreement with all local councils that before works are undertaken on their initiative, the WSC is informed beforehand so services can be replaced.

Mr Grech also stated that pipes should be laid on both sides of the road unless the road in question is too narrow. This, he claimed, would avoid undue problems, albeit at some additional expense.

The WSC only carries this out in very rare cases when the road is exceedingly wide. Experience and in-depth studies have shown that laying pipes on both sides of the road is simply not cost-effective and a waste of taxpayers' money. It unduly adds maintenance costs and increases the risks of infrastructure leakage. Put simply, the disadvantages far outweigh any perceived advantages.