Wednesday, 1st October 2008

Traffic hazards, disturbances in Lija

Richard Stagno Navarra, Lija

The letter by my friend Leo Vassallo Cesareo (September 25) regarding the heavy vehicles which pass through the narrow streets of Lija is a challenge for the local council. It is not only the damage they cause to balconies and façades but the poisonous exhaust fumes and noise which emanate from these vehicles. The gas man's horn every Wednesday before seven in the morning is a case in point.

The council must not be afraid to impose restrictions but it must also enforce them. Unfortunately, the question of enforcement is a malady with us Maltese.

The council also needs to control the amount of vehicular traffic which speeds, not drives, through its narrow streets making it a dangerous place to walk in. These drivers, in their majority, are non-Lija residents, who use the village as a short cut to get to the Birkirkara bypass. Another bone of contention is the continual flouting of the one-way street which leads down from the Tal-Mirakli chapel area to Conception Street.

The local council has done so much good work but successive councils have never seemed to solve or at least alleviate the traffic in our village.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Randolph Cauchi (on 2/10/08)

Regarding the gas man's blasting horn before 7.00am i can assure you or it's a habit or else it's the same man because i live just 5 min away from lija and he does the same thing every wednesday.

Louis Gatt (on 2/10/08)

I can perfectly understand Richard's disappointments! I live in St.Julian's Street, B'Kara and our street, namely St.Julian's Street, B'Kara has had a 'change of use' from a minor village street to a major road leading to the San Gwann Industrial Estate AND to the Mater Dei Hospital!!! St. Julian's street is a narrow winding village road and it was never intended to handle such heavy traffic. This road should be closed for everyone except residents. There are other roads leading to Mater Dei and the San Gwann Industrial Estate, so there should'nt be any real problems rerouting the heavy traffic to better roads! Urgent attention is solicited.

Charles Said-vassallo (on 1/10/08)

Why do sleeping policeman exist?? this also includes traffic wardens??? sack the lot of them..

Owen Sant Angelo (on 1/10/08)

Well said, but let's hope no more sleeping policemen are added. Apart from damaging car suspensions in the long run, consider the fumes emitted on low gears necessary when slowing down so drastically and the noisy engine revving as drivers speed up again once past the humps.