'Italian protocol' roads Lm6.4m over budget

The actual cost of road building was consistently well above tender values, Opposition transport spokesman Charles Buhagiar has complained in Parliament.

Mr Buhagiar pointed out that roads built in terms of the Italian financial protocol had been projected to cost Lm13 million but had actually cost Lm19.4 million, apart from expropriation costs.

The trend was continuing in more recently built roads. For example, the tender value of Civil Aviation Avenue was Lm495,000 but the actual cost was Lm878,000. The rebuilding of St Paul's Bay Bypass was meant to cost Lm2.5 million but the actual cost of this work was now Lm3 million. The Hal Far road was meant to cost Lm1.8 million but the actual cost had risen by Lm1 million.

It was clear, Mr Buhagiar said, that something was wrong in the tendering process and this needed to be urgently rectified. It appeared that not enough inspections were being made on the underground terrain and on drainage systems before tenders were awarded.

Mr Buhagiar, who was speaking during the debate on the estimates of the Transport Authority, referred to the roads to be built with EU funds and asked how much the cost would be. At the beginning of 2002 the EU had said that the roads upgrade would cost €234 million but it was now being said that the cost would be €315 million. How had this difference come about?

Turning to other roads, Mr Buhagiar said it was shameful that the rebuilding of the Mtarfa road was still ongoing seven years after it was taken in hand.

And the ADT estimates included no provision for the new Kappara-Manoel Island link road, which the roads minister had said would be built next year.

The Labour MP said not enough attention was being given to various bridges such as the Mistra bridge, which the Roads Minister Censu Galea said was dangerous in 2002.

Turning to traffic management, Mr Buhagiar criticised the way traffic was being diverted because of the works on Manoel Dimech bridge, saying confusion was being caused in villages such as Attard.

He also complained that some local councils were extending pavements too far out into the streets, as was the case in Qawra. The Transport Authority should have a say in such matters, he insisted.

He asked what had become of the classification of contractors, promised by the minister some time ago.

He also insisted that the ADT should assume liability for damage caused to third parties because of the state of the roads, or roadworks it was responsible for. Only in this way would more care be taken to avoid danger, he said.

The Labour MP urged the ADT to study measures to ease the growing parking problem in various localities and to make the roads more user friendly to pedestrians.

It was a good thing that the Park and Ride car park for Valletta was working well, but was its purpose being reached? Was it the case that the new facility was encouraging more people to use their cars to go to Valletta and others had migrated from the MCP car park? This was a project characterised by various U-turns. For example, the service was now free when there was originally to have been a charge. And various streets in Valletta were supposed to have been pedestrianised, something with which he agreed, as long as proper allowance was made for the servicing of shops.

Pedestrianisation of various Valletta streets was supposed to have been concluded by September 2006, according to a reply to a parliamentary question. Now there was no indication when it would actually be taken in hand! Even the removal of illegal parking in Valletta did not appear to have been started.

Vertical transport into Valletta, he said, was very important. A call for tender for the provision of such connections was being issued but what would happen if there was a lack of interest? Was the project as presented feasible for investors?

Turning to public transport, Mr Buhagiar said that despite a series of reports and many recommendations, the number of bus users was continuing to decline.

It was a sad reflection on the state of public transport that the people were continuing to use their cars even though fuel prices were rising.

One of the latest recommendations made to the government was for the introduction of a number of operators to operate the bus service. Would the government adopt this recommendation?

What was being done to raise the utilisation of the buses, bought on the strength of substantial government subsidies?

Did the government agree with the suggestions on the fare structure?

Mr Buhagiar said that although the minister in reply to a parliamentary question on Monday said the Valletta terminus would be upgraded, there was no budget for this work. Clearly better facilities were needed for the drivers.

The Labour MP asked how revenue from motor vehicle licences was projected to rise by Lm900,000 next year, even though V-licences, which yielded Lm615,000, would end. Did this mean licence fees would rise?

Concluding, Mr Buhagiar referred to the bribery case involving driving examiners and asked how, after the board of inquiry's findings, no one had assumed administrative and political responsibility.

Anton Refalo (MLP) also complained about cost over-runs on road building in Gozo and asked where these funds had been used. The most significant and most recent cost over-run was the extra Lm1 million being spent on the San Lawrenz Road. It appeared that the minister for Gozo was not concerned by such a huge increase yet funds then could not be found to keep the helicopter service going.

And other projects had been abandoned, including a much-needed subway opposite the schools complex at Victoria. A promise to introduce a small ferry to operate a shuttle service and the introduction of a mini-bus to take passengers directly from the airport to the ferry harbour had also been shelved.

Dr Refalo also criticised how the road near the Grand Hotel in Mgarr had suddenly been made one-way, down, without any sign posting for drivers wishing to go to Qala or Nadur.

The Labour MP called for reform of the Gozo bus service, saying that in its current form it was neither socially nor economically viable. Once a generous subsidy was given for the bus service in Malta, it made sense to give a subsidy for the bus service in Gozo as well.

Stefan Buontempo (MLP) criticised the manner work on Civil Aviation Avenue, near the airport, spanned the period March to September, which included the peak tourism months. Just as shameful was the way traffic was diverted through the heavily potholed Gudja road. Similarly, why had works on Manoel Dimech Bridge been taken in hand just before the Christmas season, to the detriment of those who wished to go to Paceville and St Julians?

Dr Buontempo asked why, if the new roads were meant to last 25 years, contractors were only liable for two years? Who would pay for repairs when those two years were up?