Marsa bridge incident: Police likely to charge four people
The police are expected to charge four people in connection with the incident last month when a trailer carrying an excavator crashed into a bridge at Aldo Moro Road, Marsa, causing traffic chaos.
The trailer was unlicensed and uninsured.
Transport Malta confirmed the road licence of the trailer, technically known as a tractor unit, had expired in August 2006 and had not been renewed. As a result, the vehicle was also uninsured.
The truck rammed the footbridge on April 23 at about 12.45 p.m., causing chaos to traffic in the main thoroughfares of Marsa and surrounding towns and even leading to some flights being delayed when air crew got stuck in the tailback. Some Matsec exams also had to be postponed.
The transport watchdog passed on information in its possession on the vehicle's licence to the police, "who have the power to prosecute the driver for a number of violations".
Transport Malta will be imposing an administrative fine of €2 on the vehicle's owner for every day he failed to renew the trailer's road licence since 2006.
Police sources confirmed that four people, including three from Gozo, were being investigated and were likely to be arraigned. They are believed to be the owner, the driver and two people who loaded the excavator onto the trailer. Besides charges relating to the unpaid licence and insurance, they are expected to be charged with negligence and causing damage to public property.
The charges have not yet been filed because the inquiry by Magistrate Edwina Grima is still open.
Works to repair the damage to the footbridge will be carried out over the coming weeks, a spokesman for Transport Malta said, but there is still no estimate of how much it will cost to fix the bridge.
More stories from The Times in the News section.
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Christian Sciberras
May 12th 2010, 18:13
Who needs laws anyways? We'd rather have "freedom of expression" and ignore rules, since they restrict freedom!
No, I've not been sarcastic enough.
M. Bonnici
May 12th 2010, 15:34
Nispera li l pulizija u l awtorita tat trasport jaraw kif ha jkun imqassam it traffiku meta jibdew it tiswijiet ta dan il bridge u ma jergax ikun hawn paniku fit toroq u dewmien bla bzonn.
promaras grech
May 12th 2010, 16:28
it's beside the point how the police manage the traffic. The most important is that there should be rules , if somebody is cauth without a licence or insurance or both , that viachile should be crashed .
R. Bigeni
May 12th 2010, 14:26
What if I say that the story on the times was all false, except from unpayment of the road licence?? All the chaos was caused by the police who decided to close the road, even though it was immediately certified that the bridge was not going to fall!!!
S. Camilleri
May 12th 2010, 15:32
That too ...
J. Micallef
May 12th 2010, 14:01
I agree with condemning him re not paying licence and insurances - but there lies another major problem - he could have been insured and with licence paid, but commit same act of stupidity (not being able to calculate that excavator will not pass under the bridge) and create same chaos - perhaps the authorities should realise that Malta is not prepared for such accidents which happen from time to time - should have all this traffic and chaos been created?
peter fenech
May 12th 2010, 08:47
very well, the driver will be charged around 4,000 euros by the transport authority and that is the end of the story. so much for he thousands if not millions of euros lost by the maltese community due to the sheer negligence of this idiot. when will be start acting seriously? he should be imprisoned for at least five to six years.
S. Camilleri
May 11th 2010, 20:17
Why not add
a. Creating nationwide panic
b. Being a national security risk
c. Wastage of precious resources (time and fuel)
to the list of charges??
Kieron O'connor
May 11th 2010, 14:02
This is only the tip of the ice berg as far as certified and insured industrial equipment in Malta.
Its common knowledge that Malta is where old / faulty / uninsured / uncertified industrial equipment from the UK and Ireland go to die.
That is not the only issue, even though someone might have imported a crane or some other piece of industrial equipment, who's to say they are qualified or trained to use the piece of equipment. Who inspects the qualifications? How often is retraining carried out or required?
There is huge gaps to be filled when it comes to EU norms for health and safety in the work place and what goes on in Malta.
Until these are addressed, these kind of accidents will continue to happen and people will contiue to lose their lifes using sub standard industrial equipment.
Clayton Bartolo
May 11th 2010, 10:35
What are the chances that this same person has been awarded government contracts in the not so distant past?? And by not so distant past I mean well after 2006...
If this proves to be the case, then this is another case of the PN administration giving out contracts to people who don't have their house in order!!
J Theuma
May 11th 2010, 09:38
", had expired in August 2006 "..........!!!! 0_0 *spits out coffee*
S. Camilleri
May 11th 2010, 20:28
Judging by the people charged looks like being a Gozo trailer... and you know the wardens there; they are way to busy keeping an eye on Malta registered cars in case they park for more than 90 minutes in Victoria. They do not have time to book something like this!!!
Michael Grima
May 11th 2010, 09:32
How irresponsible some people are! They should be thought a lesson!
More Road checks please because the situation is getting out of control!
simon cutajar
May 10th 2010, 19:24
Ok that's good news ! prosit that the malta transport for the success they've done ! so my car , a japan imported toyota 5 years ago has been inspected twice last january for fumes and excuast ! and when I went for the test the officer in charge told me that the car is in good condition and resaults were good ! veru li l- forka ghal izvinturat qeda !
joe camenzuli
May 10th 2010, 19:04
Police road blocks should be set up every now and then not in the same spot where vehicles are stopped and checked for insurance, road and driver's licence and number plates. There are quite a few drivers who don't carry these documents while driving. Number plates checked in case they were swapped and same goes for road licence on cars and trucks as those with a number of vehicles in their possesion there is the temptation of swapping these from vehicle to vehicle to evade paying extra
Deo Catania
May 10th 2010, 18:56
Il-bridge ma gralu xejn ghajr li nkixfet ftit ix-xibka. It-triq baqat tintuza b'mod regolari u l-istess bridge hemm ghadu, ma waqax. Il-chaos inholoq ghax xi 4 bravi iddeciedew li sempliciment jaghlqu triq Alfo Moro kompletament u fit-toroq kull ma dehru 4 pulizija kollox li komplew jaghlqu arterji ohra bla ma jigwidaw lis-sewwieqa.
A Chircop
May 10th 2010, 18:07
@A Vassallo Ghaziz Sur Vassallo Nassikurak li anke jien dejjem hallast il-licenzja. Il-punt mhux dak, imma il-fatt li l-incident innifsu (dak li jien sejjahtlu 'zball'), u licenzja skaduta, huma zewg affarijiet distinti. Jista jkun certament fatt aggravanti u juri attitudni laxka, imma donnu hafna mill-kummentaturi kwazi iridu jfissru li licenzja skaduta awtomatikament ikkawzat l-incident. Mela nohdulhum ix-xoghol, id-dar, u x'naf jien, ghax hekk haqqhom. Ma tantx narahom argumenti logici. L'argument illi "kieku wegga xi hadd mill-familja tieghek" ma jreggix, ghax mhux hekk gara. Reat jista' jigi ibbazat biss fuq il-fatti, mhux fuq argumenti emozjonali ta' "x'seta gara". Li kieku id-dinamika ta' l-incident ikkagunat mewt ta' xi hadd b'negligenza, dak kin ikun reat minnu nnifsu u storja ohra. Wiehed jista' isuq b'mod irresponsabbli u joqtol lil xi hadd anke jekk ghandu il-licenzji kollha imhallsin, u jekk alla hares qatt xi hadd iweggak, ha twegga bl-istess mod, licenzja jew le. Huma il-ligijiet tal-fizika li jorbtu f'dawn il-kazi, mhux il-licenzji. Certament mhux qed nghid illi m'ghandhomx jiehdu dak li haqqhom, ghax li ssuq vettura b- licenzja skaduta huwa kontra l-ligi. Imma ejja ma nirragunawx bl-emozjon biss u nippruvaw inkunu razjonali. Sahha u l-kumplament tal-gurnata t-tajba
j grech
May 10th 2010, 17:10
do the same as normal EU countrys, the truck/vehicle gets impounded untill all insurances/licences are paid to date, then for each day it sits in the pound there is a realistic daily charge also to be paid if not paid within a set time say 14 days and thats being generous then the vehicle gets crushed not auctioned wether the vehicle is old or a new vehicle still being paid for does not matter it gets crushed also any un registered/ or no car tax disc display gets towed away off public streets impounded and gets the same rules applied. should create more parking for legal vehicles at the same time
A. Vassallo
May 10th 2010, 17:08
@ A Chircop
Sur Chircop nahseb li inti jaqbel li ma ddahaqx nies bik. Jekk joghogbok tkellem ghalik. Jien ili tletin sena mill-1980 insuq karozza li tkun tieghi u dejjem hallast kemm il-licenzja tas-sewqan, kemm il-licenzja tal-vettura tieghi u kemm l-assigurazzjoni fuq dik il-vettura, qatt ma nsejt jew ttraskurajt. Ma affarijiet bhal dawn ma niccajtax.
Fid dinja kullhadd jista' jizbalja izda dan mhu zball xejn. Din hija purament traskuragni u LE hadd ma jista` jinzerta jkun negligenti. Niskanta kif ghad hawn nies bhalek li xejn mhu xejn ghalihom. Kieku wegga` xi hadd tal-familja tieghek f'dan l-incident zgur li ma kontx tirraguna b'dan il-mod.
Hallina Sur Chircop!!!!!!
c. camilleri
May 10th 2010, 16:00
These abuses happen because our laws are too lenient and because of lack of enforcement. We have to wait for the outcome of the courts to complete this funny/tragic episode. When no one can guess.
John Micallef
May 10th 2010, 15:14
Our roads have more than a fare share of uninsured vehicles and unlicensed drivers. What's worse, many of them drive commercial vehicles which spend lots more time on the road than private vehicles.
The tragic hit-and-run accident of Attard was another. I had also heard that one van that had caused a fatal accident in Qormi years back had failed its VRT.
Someone's got to put the foot down on this blatant abuse. Heavy commercial verhicles are ruining our roads, and polluting the air we breathe, and the least thing they should do is pay their licence and insurance.
I hope that these criminals (they intentionally broke the law) are treated severly by the law and used to set an example to others.
DVella
May 10th 2010, 14:42
Good one indeed . . . so it takes a heavy plant vehicle slamming into and seriously damaging a public bridge on public property for the auithorities concerned to wake up and realise that the vehicle in question has not been licensed or insured for over four years . . . . ! One shudders to think of how much construction plant and how many other heavy vehicles there are traversing our roads on a daily basis with neither a licence nor insurance . . . !
ADT . . . WAKE UP AND GET A LIFE!!!
J Brincat
May 10th 2010, 12:31
Perhaps they thought they were still in Gozo!
Julian Esposito
May 10th 2010, 12:05
If it weren't for the unlicensed and uninsured part, I would just say, accidents happen sometimes, even by diligent persons. It could happen to you one day.
Christian Cachia
May 10th 2010, 11:50
@David Farrugia - Close his plant? Who will gain by doing so? The inland-revenue department? His employees? Or maybe their families?
Come on folks, be realistic - please. Please let me know if you ever heard of any company being put out of business by any court in the world for causing an accident and not paying road tax.
A reasonable fine and a good warning should do the job. Don't forget this is only a traffic violation case.
DVella
May 10th 2010, 15:01
I certainly have . . . and not only heard of it either I've seen it happen, several times!!! . . . only thing is that companies being busted for gross negligence and causing danger to the public and damaging public property only happens in civilised countries . . can't see it happening in this backwater! ! The very fact that these people were allowed to get away with having a heavy vehicle unlicensed and not covered by an insurance policy for four whole years is an indication of how seriously things are taken here!! Try doing that with your personal automobile Mr. Cachia! Whilst you're at it . . . be practical yourself and try and imagine how you would feel if (God forbid)someone you knew of some member of your family was seriously injured by some moron driving a behemoth in an irresponsible manner and having neither license nor insurance ! ! !
JOHN O SCERRI
May 10th 2010, 11:44
Seriously, what was the 'transport watchdog' doing not to find out that a licence had not been renewed for 4years. Is there not an electronic system to scan pending licences.
Secondly , I really hope that when works start we shall not have the confusion which reigned last month. This was a nightmare which none of us wish to experience for a second time .
Thirdly : Do these irresponsible idiots realise what they did ? Does the Court intent to suspend their licence , for at least one whole year + issue a hefty fine as it does for other people who are caught driving without a licence .
Until investigations and court proceedings are finalised these individuals should NOT be allowed to drive anything , cars, tracktors or what's what.
A Bezzina
May 10th 2010, 11:39
Pull down their home (if they are the owners) and let them deal with it!
Tony Camilleri
May 10th 2010, 11:36
is the driver still on the road? also.. what about a nice pollution charge cos of the standstill traffic that he created... thats how the government should generate funds !!
Charles Sammut (NY USA)
May 10th 2010, 11:35
The accident would still have happened whether the owner had fully paid for his licence renewal. How about putting signs warning the drivers of low clearance ahead? Preventing such accidents makes more sense than going after the drivers after the fact. Sure lawbreakers should be prosecuted but avoiding inconveniencing the public should be given top priority.
S Pecorella
May 10th 2010, 11:27
should there have been a sign on the bridge stating the height of the bridge? eg. 4m or 5m etc....strange if there wasn't one.....who is responsible for that?...are we (taxpayers) going to pay for that bridge or will the person who was responsible to ensure there was a sign, pay for it and be personally responsible?....what are the owners of the truck going to be arraigned for? for using a trailer without a licence or for repairing the bridge? if there was no sign indicating height of bridge, surely the law is on their side for that....so who pays then?
SPITERI VICTOR
May 10th 2010, 11:02
TAL-INSURANCE X'QED JAGHMLU U TAL ADT IS-SAHNU S-SIGGU . MISKIN IZ-ZGHIR IHALLAS. DEMOKRAZIJA BAZWIJA.
Alexander Farrugia
May 11th 2010, 15:52
Kollox fhimt car! Grazzi!
Gilbert Busuttil
May 10th 2010, 10:23
According to the transport "watchdog" the license had expired in 2006. So with all the systems they have in place, there was no way to catch this contractor? Every year when the license is due they should've known and inspected. I wonder why they did not!!
Lawrence Bonello
May 10th 2010, 13:03
Its called Vizjoni 2015!!
EDWIN DE MARCO
May 10th 2010, 10:22
Will they be given a harmless suspended sentence?Probably? After all, why should they be fined when other people get away with much more serious offences!
Charles Micallef
May 10th 2010, 10:21
@ Andrew Cachia
If only the general public have a redress on these cowboys, they will then soon start to conform with the law...................but this is Maltese law we are talking about!
Philip Sultana
May 10th 2010, 10:12
Prosecuting the persons responsible for this accident alone is not a solution. The government should consider a widespread and long-term campaign to foster a social conscience in Malta that approaches the higher social development enjoyed in most European countries.
S Aquilina
May 10th 2010, 09:49
What is the maximum penalty for such an offense? €200? €500? €1000? still too little...
martin chetcuti
May 10th 2010, 09:49
Hope that these CARELESS bunch of men will get a hefty fine for the losses third parties have incured because of there delays.
Carmel Garcia
May 10th 2010, 09:46
Dear Transport Malta, why don't you fine who is responsible for the upgrading/ resurfising of of our roads. Some are even bad than the face of the moon. Our automobiles are being broken because of the state of many roads and streets. Who is going to pay us for the damage caused because of these bad roads?
J Farrugia
May 10th 2010, 09:44
throw these louts out of business and make them pay even by forefeiting their own properties. This monkey business of illegalities has got to stop and let's start with these irresponsible louts. The Maltese people should not foot the bill because these louts were uninsured. They have to pay through their noses for their criminal negligence.
H.H.ZAMMIT
May 10th 2010, 09:43
A MEMO TO THE TRANSPORT WATCHDOG:
THE SCENE IN FLORIANA IN THE ONLY STREET OVERLOOKING THE VALLETTA WATERFRONT AND THE SMALL SQUARE NAME AFTER SIR LUIGI PREZIOSI:
WHO HAS AUTHORISED (????) THOSE HEAVY VEHICLES, TRUCKS, CONTAINERS ETC TO DRIVE IN AND PARK DAY AND NIGHT TO THE GRAVE INCONVENIENCE OF MANY? HAVE THE YELLOW LINES AND THE PARKING SPACES NOEW BECOME ILLEGAL?
ARE THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED WAITING FOR A TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN THIS INHABITED AREA TO TAKE THE NECESSARY JUST ACTIONS?
INSOMMA KULHADD JAGHMEL LI JRID!!!!!!!
G.Attard
May 10th 2010, 09:40
Eh hijja, issa ser ingergru ukoll. Mela meta kienu jsiru road blocks u jinqabdu nies bid-droga, xurbana, bla licenzja, bla insurance, b'armi lesti biex joqtlu f'rabja, etc.. konna ingergru ghax skond uhud kienet trasgresjoni, issa ser ngergru ghax jkolna nies jsuqu bla kopertura ta licenzja u sewqan.
Dak li jigri meta l-poplu ma jafx xi jrid. Daqqa haga u daqqa ohra. totalment opposing forces!
ABORG
May 10th 2010, 09:25
€2 is not even equivalent to one maltese lira........
John Farrugia
May 10th 2010, 08:58
They should also be charged for all the havoc they caused on the day. Due to all the delays, every family and business in Malta suffered some kind of loss. It is high time that damage is measured in every aspect - maybe a group of citizens should unite and make this stand to press charges for losses incurred on that day due to these negligent and irresponsible people !
Andrew cachia
May 10th 2010, 08:51
What a about sueing for damages in a civil court by individuals who suffered from any financial losses ?
L Buhagiar
May 10th 2010, 08:51
Unlicenced and uninsured. What if the tailer caused a fatal accident? This is becoming a common pracatice in Malta since one can easily see vehicles that are not even good for a scrapyard and yet are being driven on our roads. I am assuming that these are not even being passed through the VRT. However one needs to investigate whether such vehicles are being driven without a licence or with the VRT garage as an accomplice. I think that in this case since incident could have had serious repercussions the country should give a lesson to the four culprits and anyone who drives without licence and insurance>
Shaun Camilleri
May 10th 2010, 09:37
Not that I am with the truck driver/owner by any means?
But are the roads worthy for our cars? I for one think they are waaaay far off!!
Arthur Mortimer
May 10th 2010, 10:20
I totally agree with your comments. There are too many cars and lorries fit for the scrapheap on Malese roads today. Does the government actually visit these garages to check on the level of VRT competence? I think not. I would like to bet any money that the offenders dont pay the fines and they walk away from court (if it gets there) with just a slap on the wrist and 'dont do it again you naughty boys'. In the UK if you have no insurance your vehicle is taken away and then maybe crushed. TRY THAT HERE. Get it sorted Malta before its too late.
Charles Sammut
May 10th 2010, 08:50
"The transport watchdog ......"
This dog needs re-training not to bark only at motorists but also at shortcomings by the authorities especially where road surfaces are concerned.
Noel Zammit
May 10th 2010, 09:53
Well said! Main artery roads in Gozo are in a miserable state! Excluding the Mgarr Road from Mgarr to Ta Pinu, Qala Road and Xlendi Road are only good for Off Roading with a 4x4 Land Rover (or another truck if you like ^_^ )!
D. Scerri
May 10th 2010, 10:12
Seconded.
David Farrugia
May 10th 2010, 08:47
Close the plant that belongs to the owner of the truck and stop his commercial activity.
A Chircop
May 10th 2010, 15:20
U ejja ma ndahqux nies bina! Mela kieku tkun inti illi, Alla hares qatt, ikollok incident fit-triq, li jirrizulta fit-triq maghluqa ghat-traffiku ghal xi hin, x'suppost naghmulek mela? Inkeccuk mix-xoghol, nibaghtuk il-habs, nohdulek id-dar u nibaghtu il-familja tieghek ezilju perpetwu fuq Filfla?? Jew insallbuk f'xi pjazza u kulhadd iwaddablek il-gebel?
Ejja ma naqawx fir-ridikolagni!
Kultant niehu l-impressjoni illi l-poplu ta' huti l-Maltin qed isir poplu skizofreniku. Naghtu fuq sidirna biex nuru kemm ahna kristjani u (taparsi) tolleranti ma kullhadd, inwerzqu ghax irridu id-demokrazija u li kullhadd ikun protett kif jixraqlu .. umbghad nohorgu b'dawn il hmerijiet. Qisna nixtiequ nergghu naraw in-nies jittieklu mill-iljuni fil-kolossew kull nhar ta Hadd, jew jinqatlu bil-giljottina fil-pubbliku u mmorru nitpaxxew narawhom!
Vera illi incident bhall dan ikkawza hafna inkonvenjenti lil hafna nies, imma ejja nirragunaw bis-sens, f'gieh kemm hemm! Fid dinja kullhadd jista' jizbalja, kullhadd jista' jinzerta jkun negligenti xi darba. Illum kien xi hadd iehor, ghada tista tkun int jew jien. Jekk dan il proxxmu kien ukoll minghajr licenzji necessarji, il-ligijiet qeghdin hemmhekk ghalhekk. Min ikun tassew negligenti jittiehdu il-passi li huma xierqa kontrieh, kif ghandu jkun f'socjeta civili, minghajr dawn l-isterizmi u minghajr ma naharqu s-shahar fil-pjazza!
John Ebejer
May 11th 2010, 21:53
@ A Chircop: It appears that YOU, are the insensible one. Go back like a good boy or girl and re-read the many laws an regulations this driver has broken ... then, perhaps, come back and sit with us.
John Ebejer
May 10th 2010, 08:36
'LIKELY'??????? That should have been a fargone conclusion! Right, so, I drive along a street and come to a point where the street is closed due to students coming out of a school and as soon as the policeman stationed there, sees me, he stands fully erect, ready to pounce on me if I make one suspicious move! And his driver-of-sorts, unlicensed and so on, creates mayhem in the country with ripples abroad, and 'the police are LIKELY to ....'. These persons should already be languishing in prison! And this is the tip of the iceberg, you know. Unlicensed, large, commercial vehicles! But the small fry in ths country are always and constantly the ones to pay taxesand yet, to be continually monitored by the authorities, especially the boys in blue!
A. Vassallo
May 10th 2010, 08:35
"Transport Malta will be imposing an administrative fine of €2 on the vehicle's owner for every day he failed to renew the trailer's road licence since 2006" totalling approximately to €3285.
That is peanuts. It should be 365 * 4.5 * €200 = €328,500 and give a lesson once and for all.
Jason Falzon
May 10th 2010, 10:10
I agree. Transport Malta has to consider what the ramifications would have been if more serious accidents happend. What if the bridge fell or a pedestrian walking above got injured or heavier parts fell and hit cars that subsequently crashed producing heavy injuries.
Who would be paying for God forbid permanent disabilities induced from such accidents.
That fine is a joke. I know something about it as an unlicenced idiot using a company van once crashed into me and I had to chase him in court as his company and their insurance conveniently washed their hands. The fact that they employed him as a driver without licence didn't warrant interest from the police. But anyway this is Malta.
Let's see how this bridge is going to be "fixed", how much will it cost and who is going to fork out the bill.
As for suing.... well I seriously doubt that the Maltese courts are the correct channel. Maybe a European court would be better.
Mark Vassallo
May 10th 2010, 11:45
How about a fine related to the time lost by so many people that day. 50,000 people affected for an average of 2 hours each at € 3.60 (minimum wage) = €360,000