Inaccessible underpass

Every now and again I am spurred to write a letter to The Times. This is one of those occasions. I think everyone is aware the buses were operating from a different location while the carnival was being held in Valletta. Because of this, many more people were changing buses at Porte des Bombes. I did not really have a problem with that. What did cause me, and many other people, a problem was the fact that we found the pedestrian underpass at Porte des Bombes closed. Well, to be precise, closed at the far end, if one was crossing from a Sliema bus to go south.

The person working at the end where I entered the underpass could not be bothered to tell me the other end was closed. Bright chap. So, I walked back and had to cross six lanes of traffic to get to the other side during a period of busy traffic. Not fun, as I value my life.

What are the alternatives? Well, I could have caught another bus to Floriana, then another bus out to the temporary bus depot or I could have walked all the way up to Floriana, crossed at the lights, then walked all the way back down to the Porte des Bombes bus stop.

Now, I am reasonably fit and have enough intelligence to know that crossing six lanes of traffic in any country is dangerous. In Malta, where the average driver sees pedestrians as, at best, sport or something to intimidate, it is suicidal. I dread to think how a woman with a pushchair could possibly cope.

So, to whichever minister of stupidity was responsible for this, congratulations. Go to the top of the moron class. When someone is killed crossing this road, we know who to sue.