Performance and durability of road marking materials

I refer to Lino Spiteri’s column entitled ‘Removing transport’s expletives’ (The Sunday Times, October 9).

Regarding the public transport reform, we appreciate his comments that “the service has improved since the chaotic outcome of its early weeks” and that “the Transport Authority was well intended, planning to extend the network much more extensively than under the old system”.

We can also confirm that “everybody is bending over backwards to correct the package...” In fact, we are glad Mr Spiteri appreciates the true spirit which this reform intends to provide a sustainable, cleaner and more efficient service.

We acknowledged time and again that we are listening to the comments and suggestions from users and to this end we have, to date, effected six major grouped changes to the original routes. The latest one kicked off on November 6.

In keeping with its mission to improve road safety, the authority has invested substantial financial and technical resources to upgrade the performance and durability of road marking materials.

This was visible during weeks 19, 20 and 21 of this year with the application at Naxxar-Salini Road, Għajn Dwieli tunnel and Tigné tunnel of about 9.8 km of hot-applied screed thermoplastic road markings (it is assumed Mr Spiteri is referring to these “baked” markings indicated in the article).

No local contractors had the specialised equipment required to lay this material at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature of 210°C and the successful bidder had to lease the equipment from Italy.

For this specific ‘trial’ tender the best offered price for one linear metre of thermoplastic road marking (measuring 1m by 0.15m) was equivalent to seven times that of normal road paint. Transport Malta has performed testing on these road/tunnel sections through the Malta National Laboratory using calibrated retroreflectometers.

During week 37 the authority laid another experimental 90m road section using cold plastic bi-component markings at the Mdina Road/Attard Road junction, Żebbuġ (foreign aggregate). Cold plastic markings are another advanced road marking system currently available on the market.

Unlike thermoplastic (baked) they are cold-applied, have a quick drying time (immediate traffic pass-over is possible) and most importantly are not susceptible to damage by high ambient temperatures.

Initial testing was performed on the markings during week 40. The luminance performance (daytime visibility) of these markings has to date exceeded that of the thermoplastic.

It is also pertinent to note that in recent road tenders forming a part of the TEN-T network (equivalent to 20 km of line markings) the authority has reserved the option of using any of the above markings: thermoplastic (baked); cold plastic and/or high-build paint.

The work carried out by road engineers is often unseen by the public.

Transport Malta wants to assure readers that this work is ongoing and driven towards an ever improving road network, in all its details.