Ghadira road project dropped from EU funding application

Anthony Pace Gouder

Nov 2nd 2009, 10:08

When the Hon. Minister had declared this Ghadira Road Project ( April "09 ?) I had expressed myself in total opposition to the proposed re-routing of the road. Furthermore I had suggested the re-construction and re-alignment of the north and south sections BY VIADUCTS . With satisfaction THE PYE REPORT (October "09) is now also proposing this idea ! With regards the depletion of the various sandy beaches, especially Balluta, the human effect has been the prime cause . I have witnessed the Beach Cleaners at Balluta with truck loads carrying off at least 20% sand along with the sea-weed for years ! Just imagine all this sand wasted ! My intervention with the FOREMEN had resulted in a send off ... to mind my own business!
Some years ago , I came across some of this sand dumped off the road to Armier .

Anthony Pace Gouder

Nov 1st 2009, 19:44

This so called expert ( foreigners ! that this government keeps commissioning) has rendered ,by contradiction, his studies to an ambigueous case ! The road is causing erosion but then prevent flooding !!! I remember the older road ,which was a simple plain only 30 to 40 centimeters higher than the sandy beach . Then the beach was intact ,no erosion ,and the road was never sand - bound as it is whenever a strong wind blows . With simple reasoning one can easily understand what"s causing these problems .

Mark Cassar

Nov 1st 2009, 02:27

I am sure the Ghadiera road was not seriously considered a decade ago because that was before EU accession and the possibility of EU funding, AND very importantly there was another major project in the pipe-line: the new hospital; which all must agree was more of a priority. The Malta Transport Authority should be seriously addressing (if not already) the long-term strategy for the increasingly horrendous traffic situation in Malta, which is deteriorating measurably year by year. To seriously alleviate the traffic at certain times of the day we need a fly-over or over-pass covering all the major roads of Malta! The south of Malta is by far the worst affected, though the Regional Road at 8:00 am on a work-day is no joke either. Can we see the projected traffic figures for the next decade or two? Or perhaps the government is actively pursuing the long-term strategy that everybody will be working from home (tele-working) in the year 2029? Now that's a good idea!

Antoine Vella

Oct 30th 2009, 23:04

Galea L.


"How about all the roads for the southern part of Malta?"


You have roads?

Tonio Bone

Oct 30th 2009, 21:55

PBS today said that the Kappara fly-over project will cost in the region of Euro 24 million! Really? If this is so is a large chunk of this via EU funding? Since there is a new Enemalta complex on one corner, and private residences on another two corners touching this junction, I fail to understand what the project will include and why it is projected to cost so much!

M. Buhagiar

Oct 30th 2009, 20:28

Kellna bzonn ESPERT biex jghidilna li din it-triq m'hemmx bzonnha, meta izjed minn nofs Malta qalet li ahjar niehdu hsieb toroq ohra? Dawn mhux flus fil-hela? Insomma l-aqwa li nhalssuhom ahna c-cittadini.

Stefan Bonello

Oct 30th 2009, 19:39

Prosit lil Louis Grech MEP, ghax hu kien li hadem fil-Parlament Ewropew biex waqaf stragi fl-ambjent tal-inhawi bil-bini tal-msemmija triq, prosit Louis well done

Joe Morana

Oct 30th 2009, 18:57

This is good news indeed. Hopefully now the Sliema traffic problems will start to be addressed by the building of the new Kappara Junction and the link road to the Strand Gzira-Sliema and widening of the Strand to cope with the present continuos and heavy traffic and the new traffic that will be generated when the MIDI and the Fort Cambridge projects become occupied and operational.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 30th 2009, 18:06

@ Mario Mercieca: So, you think that all 'new things' are worth doing? Well, thankfully, Brussels thinks otherwise. And many of us.

G Vella

Oct 30th 2009, 17:40

About time too! This intersection is the cause of • Thousands of wasted man-hours as drivers crawl slowly through • Wasted fuel as vehicles sit in the Kappara Roundabout traffic jams • Increased noxious emissions in the area • A roundabout where normal precedence rules cannot be followed as that would mean one or more lines of cars never moving • Unnecessary stress on new drivers • A high accident rate, even if most are of the bump and scrape variety We have seen traffic lights being set up and removed and sometimes see a policeman directing traffic; but for most of the time anarchy rules. In early 2005 a plan was presented as part of the TEN-T network that proposed a grade-separated junction at this roundabout. Essentially this projected a fly-over over the roundabout along the Regional Road and slip roads to connect to the Kappara and Gzira roads. The detailed plans complete with EIA can be seen on http://www.maltatransport.com/en/ten-t/index.shtml. Several pronouncements were made that this work would start shortly. Up to now all we have seen is a bunch of palm trees sprouting up instead of a fly-over. Fingers crossed!

E. Azzopardi

Oct 30th 2009, 17:29

The Kappara roundabout was a priority whilst Ghadira Road was not. Well we have saved our faces, haven't we. I wish to add that before, with the traffic lights, the traffic around Kappara roundabout was more organised until someone decided to remove them. Now it is a free for all (like everywhere else, after all) and very dangerous. Very bad decision that was and the public is still suffering for it.

Galea. L

Oct 30th 2009, 17:07

How about all the roads for the southern part of Malta?

Adrian Wirth

Oct 30th 2009, 16:12

I may be wrong but suspect the rerouting of the Ghadira road wll require revisting in the not too distant future as a previous report to government some eleven years ago predicted. The existing road at best becoming a barrier to rising sea levels preserving the sand-dunes forming the bird sanctuary and nature reserve. It will also form a storm erosion barrier on that section of any new road up to more than 100 metres inland from the southern arm of the bay west of the present hotel. Had the money required been spent eleven years ago the cost would have been significantly less than today. If it takes MEPA the same time to make up their mind on the new reports' recommendations as it has since the previous report then the overall cost will be horrendous even by todays standards. Roll on indecision and procrastination. We all have to meet the rising cost of the inevitable so why not now. Needs another change of Minister perhaps or will that delay things still further. The latter is the more likely. Perhaps a storm of Pauline proportions may resolve the matter well before then.

jbusuttil

Oct 30th 2009, 15:40

@mario gellel.
Hu pacenzja and re read the article again.

G.Schembri

Oct 30th 2009, 15:27

I'm all for refurbishing of existing roads rather than building new ones. Good move. be it Kappara junction or any other road, after all we all know what a back ache it is to drive on Maltese roads.

wally vella-zarb

Oct 30th 2009, 15:24

A proper junction at the Kappara roundabout is sorely needed and is long overdue. Only, this time, PLEASE let Maltese people design it - with a proper overpass and access ramps - and not some foreign 'expert' lest we end up, once again, with a Christmas tree of traffic lights whose only efficacy was to encourage road-rage and obstruct sensible traffic flow.

R.J.Azzopardi

Oct 30th 2009, 15:09

@Mario Gellel.....'will instead seek those funds for the building of a new junction at Kappara'...so they are not down the drain!!!

stephanie falzon

Oct 30th 2009, 14:51

this represents seriousness...decisions based on scientific reports and not just based on rhetoric and populist arguments...kudos dr gatt

Mario Mercieca

Oct 30th 2009, 14:50

The Maltese are seem always happy with a status quo and oppose most things which are new, thus now everybody will be happy, when things are left as they are. Same applies to Renzo Piano`s Valletta project. SO why bother ?

mario gellel

Oct 30th 2009, 14:41

ANOUTHER EU FUND DOWN THE DRAIN, SMART MINISTER DR.AUSTIN?

Anthony A. Mifsud

Oct 30th 2009, 14:37

Well Well, an otherone bites the dust! ...)) Miskin Dr Austin he will not be happy, mella issa tal Bird life are very happy with the Srapping of this project, Do we have to have a British expert, Kenneth Pye, to build and adise us how to or where to build roads.

Thanks Dr. Gatt

Toni

R. Gauci

Oct 30th 2009, 14:23

It's a waste of money anyway, better repair the existent roads rather than to embark on these types of projects.

A Coppini

Oct 30th 2009, 14:14

Here we go again... expect EU-funded traffic lights glowing on the Kappara roundabout as part of this 'upgrade'.. just in time for Christmas.

Dylan Olliver

Oct 30th 2009, 14:01

Well done. The Kappara junction really needs to be done urgently.

Matthew Borg

Oct 30th 2009, 13:47

I'm all for those funds to be put towards a new Kappara junction... it's sorely needed there!!