New road policy for night traffic
Transport Minister Austin Gatt has announced a project to enable the use of traffic aids and equipment that would provide sufficient traffic indications to drivers at night. The new policy would also allow for street lighting to be either dimmed or switched off completely during the night.
Dr Gatt told Parliament that a change had already been made in the specifications of the traffic aids and road paint for roads. This would include the installation of cats' eyes and adequate reflective signs.
He said that the ADT relied on UK standards for small towns which had been adapted to Maltese circumstances. The authority considered requests for traffic aids not only from local councils but also from private individuals. The Authority could proceed with the implementation of road safety plans, even where there was no approval from the local council.
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D. Bartolo
Oct 29th 2009, 11:11
Once when Mintoff done so, a choir of disagree had arised and today the minister is thinking the same!! Why instead of this practice, the ADT starts to do solar panels on each pole!! cheaper and some light in the same time
Ramon Casha
Oct 29th 2009, 06:38
If the ADT and the Transport Minister are truly concerned about traffic accidents, how can they come up with ideas like switching off street lightning entirely? Here's a thought: How about street lightning which, at certain times of the night, can be partially switched off - say, leaving one lamp out of every three, and leaving lamps on at all bends and intersections? A completely dark road both increases the changes of accidents and makes drivers turn on their brights, which can cause problems for oncoming drivers.
Alfred J Zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 22:05
The installation of cats' eyes and adequate reflective signs is indeed much needed, and very welcomed, yet the problem lies in the illumination by our headlights of non-reflective objects which could cause a collision. The UK Highway Code states that for a car travelling at 80km/h, the total distance required to stop a car is 53 meters. This assumes a relatively good road surface (as is typical in the UK unlike as with Malta's polished roads), and also assumes the driver is alert. Slightly increase the reaction time, and allow for Malta's poor road surface, and this distance can easily shoot up to 75 meters. So dear government, if you intend to dim our streets, or turn the lights out, you’d better see to it that our cars are fitted with very good headlamps, or you'll be simply adding another factor to the chain of factors which cause a collision.
A Gauci
Oct 28th 2009, 19:24
I read this article !! Nah.. maybe i'm overtired... you know.... long day, kids stressed me out.... didn't feel like cooking, but had to...... So I re-read it!! imma possibli???... so I read the comments by fellow disbelievers, And I chuckled and then laughed so bil-qalb at the end of this dull day!!! WHAT entity on this mickey mouse island could have possibly ever dreamt of switching off the street lights at night??? WHO is the person who wants the responsibilty of such a crazy decision! Maybe they want to save money to pay street users for the damages sustained while using the substandard network that cris crosses this island?? You'll have to understand, I'm a bit mahruqa bhalissa.... I've just had to fork out money for a new tyre, and we all know that that's because our streets and roads are very far from UK standards!!
Maria Zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 18:39
Did the minister consider that people walk in the streets too at night? Are people now supposed to carry torches with them? One can hardly walk safely in a number of badly lit street today! Some streetlights are placed in front gardens to better light up private property not pavement. This should be corrected.
Isn't it a better idea to switch on streetlights later then at present and switch them off earlier than at present and to switch them off during the day!!!
What does the Minister intend to do about the eyesore of Enemalta and other cables criss-crossing our street in a haphazard manner rendering our streets aestethical eyesores?
Didn't know streetlights were intended for car drivers! I thought they were intended for pedestrians since cars have headlights!!!
Joe Tabone-Adami
Oct 28th 2009, 15:35
"The new policy would also allow for street lighting TO BE EITHER DIMMED OR SWITCHED OFF COMPLETELY DURING THE NIGHT'. Now, that's what I call really smart!!!
A.Calleja
Oct 28th 2009, 15:32
Dear minister Austin Gatt, it seems quite obvious that you are no longer able to assess and challenge the manifest baloney disguised as advise that the so called ADT experts are pushing in front of you through their chairman. Let me be the one to give you some worthwhile advice for once – don’t continue to embarrass yourself and your party; pack up and call it a day!
A huge proportion of the population concur that your ministry, over the past few years, has been a constant burden on their families and the country as a whole, Please spare us further aggravation and harm. If you can’t get rid of the incompetence that surrounds you, please move aside and let someone with better acumen take over the job while we’re still in time to save the day.
victor pulis
Oct 28th 2009, 15:32
The new policy would also allow for street lighting to be either dimmed or switched off completely during the night.
Just when one thinks that ADT has reached the summit or abyss of ridicule they come out with something even better.
Why on earth would they want to switch off street lights except to save money?
john fenech
Oct 28th 2009, 13:54
If these are the authentic views of the Minister/ ADT then it will be in order to point out:
• That several roads in Malta are not even equivalent to country lanes
• This schemes are the initiative of the local councils
• These measures are opposed by the local security and motor organisations
These Adopt-a-Light program include several options; L.E.D. technology in all street lights at intersections, switching to more efficient light-emitting diodes, using motion sensors on street lights, which will darken the lamps if no activity is detected on the street. Smarter grid — in which electricity prices are based on time of day/night.
The experiments in UK, since nothing is written in stone yet, is that lighting in the Town centres and main roads will not be switched off while lights are dimmed or switched off after 12.30 and on again at 05.30.
While in a German village: If local residents need a particular street illuminated at night they dial a central number from their mobile phones.
The original reason for this experiment is to reduce the CO² emissions. Is this a valid reason to the local authorities?!
Potholes +light= tragedy; Potholes + darkness = suicide!
Galea. L
Oct 28th 2009, 13:18
Another froga or kawlata in the making by ADT
Deo Catania
Oct 28th 2009, 11:47
Might as well remove street lightning completely. hallina Austin, l-ADT taghzaq biss taf.
Anthony Roberts
Oct 28th 2009, 11:11
Switching the lights off will lead to more crime, besides the damage to our cars and bikes where the roads have not be ungraded.
R.Sciberras
Oct 28th 2009, 10:36
When I asked why are new roads being installed with so many lighting poles next to each other, I was told that these were fixed according to standard measures. Now, it is being said that certain roads will be dimmed or switched off completely! Upgrade all roads first please!
Mario H Calleja
Oct 28th 2009, 10:31
Perhaps solar powered street lighting should become more common on our roads.
Road markings should be extended to all our roads and then not be left to fade out. They should be maintained in good standard. Drivers need such markings to orientate themselves during the night especially in wide roads.
Another problem that should be tackled is the control of highpowered headlamps and their settings. The VRT test should be taking care of the settings but I'm afraid the lights of some vehicles have become too much and many times I am blinded when driving.
Ray Mangion
Oct 28th 2009, 10:12
"...allow for street lighting to be either dimmed or switched off completely during the night."? That does not happen in the UK. As a matter of fact dear Minister, street lighting means that is is there for a reason where in an inhabited area speed limits are applied according to the distance between one lamp post and another. Dim or switch off street lighting whether or not in rural areas are there for a reason and that reason is to light up dark and dangerous areas to prevent accidents. I think that if DSA read this stupid suggestion and using UK as an example will get you into trouble. Just proves the incompetence in the Transport system. If the big cheese passes comments like these, now wonder ADT is in a mess.
D Zammit
Oct 28th 2009, 10:04
One small detail missed by the ADT is that Maltese roads are far from UK standards. Now all drivers should start driving around with night vision goggles! Maltese roads are not properly lit already as they are. Secondly how are we going to see the potholes at night in unlit roads! Mickey Mouse Island