Road patching works to start next week

dawn portelli

Feb 26th, 12:37

i see all the listings for malta but what happened to gozo or does our vote count for nothing?
dawn portelli

Jonathan Camilleri

Feb 26th, 06:43

lol, it's never too late in the day

Christian Sciberras

Feb 26th, 02:50

There have been several car accidents in some 3 or so huge holes on the way to Nadur. But of course, who cares about Gozo. It's the "other" island at the end of the day....it's only useful at the end of the week.

But let's not even mention the verbal insults our esteemed co-nationals decorate us while we peacefully mind our business in Gozo.

Joseph N. Attard

Feb 25th, 18:19

Is someone bringing these comments to the Minister's attention? If not, then surely the Minister is living in Cloud Cuckoo Land, and one must doubt his grasp on reality. (it would also strenghten the view held by many that higher civil servants are there for their fat salary and nothing else). If he is being informed, does he not feel that there is absolutely no trust in Transport Malta ability in building our roads and keeping them in order? Is he going to do anything concrete and durable to bring this bumpy ride (puns intended) to a happy end?

Jennifer Grech

Feb 25th, 14:14

concerning ghaxaq i have lived in triq marcell mallia for 9 yrs and it has never had a full road covering, i have witnesses 3 pothole repairs, 3 men, 1 shovelling a spade of tarmac into hole and bashing it flat while 2 more look on, then roles are changed a 2nd man pours a dark liquid around the edges of repair while 2 men look on then equipment thrown in back of open backed truck where the remaining tarmac gets more contaminated and 3rd man drives them away, i phone video`d the repairs for you tube, at least the world laughed with me, can we please have a full road covering instead of another pot holing repair and can the council please charge TMs famous five for the cost as why should it come out of the ghaxaqs council funds, the council always say it has no money left when it comes to our little road

Sebastian Hawks

Feb 25th, 13:32

There are few countries that have as many cars per kilometer of road as Malta does and there are few countries where vehicle owners pay such high taxes as they do in Malta.

It does not take an Einstein to figure that the government is taking massively more money from motorists per kilometer of road then other countries.

One can only conclude that Malta should have the worlds best roads.

vincent a galea

Feb 25th, 13:10

While at it, can TM also look at the roads that are caving in?? Quite a lot ! Not just potholes.....

Notorious ones that I use quite a lot are by a roundabout in front of a toyshop, going into San Ġwann, from Naxxar.... The Road leading from San Ġwann through the Industrial Estate, to Mater Dei... and L-Iklin Hill from Naxxar down to the Birkirkara By-pass...

There are many other roads caving in all over the Island.... !!!!!!!

Joey Tribbiani

Feb 25th, 11:18

How about Ġorgg Borg Olivier Street in Rabat. It's riddled with holes like a piece of Gruyere!

m borg

Feb 25th, 11:01

Ara vera 3rd world country. Inraqqu l-pannu bil-qar'ahmar.

Toni Borg

Feb 25th, 10:43

There is a whopper of a pot hole in Mriehel Bypass next to the entrance to Farsons Brewery.

Beware motorists, your axles and pcokets are in for a shock if you don't manage to miss it!!

Duncan Cassar

Feb 25th, 10:28

patching !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! misna nisthu mit turisti li jigu tal biki it toroq ta malta specjalment is south aqwa li noghlu il licenzja

Joe Scerri

Feb 25th, 10:17

Ganu street B'kara has been patched counltess times, it all washes away as soon as it rains.
Besides the craters this street has collapsed in several areas providing a roller coaster ride for free. You just pay afterwards in punctures and suspensions.

E. Azzopardi

Feb 25th, 10:04

Why wait until one week before the council elections?! Yesterday and the next days are going to be fine. This should have started yesterday!! And this should be ONGOING, ONGOING. What do other countries do when they have such worse winters then ours? Totally inefficient. Motorists have suffered punctures and damages. Again, I ask, why wait till one week before the council elections? Why are THE PEOPLE treated as such? And for goodness sake, do the work properly. There were potholes which were filled up and a week later they appeared again. But, repeat, is there nobody responsible to see that this work is done PROPERLY? Talk of productivity and government expenses!! Totally inefficient.

Henry Mifsud

Feb 25th, 09:44

When I was just a little boy, even though we were of very humble means, my mother would do her utmost not to resort to patching up of things when most people did so especially to their clothing. According to her that represented a failure mentality.
Wise words indeed!

D Agius

Feb 25th, 09:41

And that's how works planning is done at TM - a spreadsheet with a list of locations where people have complained.

No evaluation of damage, no estimated time to repair, no material quantities. This looks more like mum's shopping list than a govt dept's work plan

Tonio Schembri

Feb 25th, 09:26

What about Victoria and the rest of Gozo? Gozo looks like the war zone at the moment and I am not talking about the roadworks on the main road to Victoria. I can live with that but the rest of the island is abandoned.

Toni Muscat

Feb 25th, 09:18

And yet again Gozo is forgotten. It looks like a third world country over here . Not just all the dam road works underway all at the same time I might add but also the massive creators in the roads used for all the detours . May I also add that now for the Ambulances to respond to emergency's they are forced to take a longer route which cuts the response time to save a life. I challenge the Time Of Malta to come over here and take photo's of this mess. So that maybe who ever is in charge will have some fire up their .......! Does anyone have any idea the amount of damage our cars are suffering because we have no choice but to drive on these roads. Don't even get me started on the higher and higher road tax we are forced to pay each year.

Brian Azzopardi

Feb 25th, 09:08

Why is Gozo not mentioned? Gozo's roads is literally infested with pot holes and holes. Our roads are a disaster and it is high time that they are resurfaced. Gozo's roads are much more that the road that takes you from Imgarr to S. Lawrence.

M camilleri

Feb 25th, 09:07

dejjem tgergru tal PL ..vera ma tarawx kemm aw toroq sbieh blaqwa tarmak u bloghla standards possibli toroq li iservu 25 sena jew iktar ...

peter ellul

Feb 25th, 08:59

THIS LOOKS LIKE THE ARRIVA BUS ROUTES HEHEHE PLEASE GUYS GIVE US SOME GOOD ROADS OR ELSE LET SOMEONE CAPABLE TO DO IT

Criss Camilleri

Feb 25th, 08:55

As always: Insewwu il Pannu bil Qara Hamra. Most of these Streets/Roads, DOES not need patching, BUT huge repairs.

Eddie Vella

Feb 25th, 08:09

What a waste of money? patching than one day of rain and it's gone? i noticed that Gozo is not mentioned by TM poor Gozitans only that in Gozo we have creaters not pot holes.In Maltese we say NAGHTU IX-XEMX BL-GHARBIEL. time that our Islands have decent roads like most of the EU countries.

Joe Vella

Feb 25th, 08:08

Triq it-Torri Sliema Seafront has potholes (from inspection boxes) all along its edge, causing cars to veer towards the centre of the road. This will be the cause of a crash (Head on) one day I'm sure, and you can't say, I did not warn you.

joseph briffa

Feb 25th, 08:05

How about Birzebugia , forgotton ?

Victor Pulis

Feb 25th, 08:01

This Summer I visited Austria and we left our hotel at about 8.00 each morning. One day as we were leaving we saw a square deep hole measureing about 4x4 metres cut neatly into the tarmac with big pipes laying beside it. By the time we got back at about 6.00pm the hole was replaced by a nice black patch of tarmac. There was no other visible sign of work. No dust no patches of ugly tar. And by the way... It was raining all day.

Matthew Balzan

Feb 25th, 07:54

What about triq id dahla ta San Tumas towards Marsascala, some contractors started the process of resurface and left the road unpatched with no signs of attention. The unpatched part is right at a sharp turn so you wont notice it and it is very dangerous. Me a passer by almost lost control as the road was slippery too and already saw two collisions.

Joseph Bonello

Feb 25th, 07:43

Is this what we deserve?

The bribery at TM that was mentioned earlier this week reflects the state of our roads. Only god knows what is really going on at TM. And they proud themselves with the multimillion projects they deliver every year.

We stood against the Brits some years ago, but we are not capable to stand to our local governments!

Shame on all of us.....

At this era, no one responsible for his duties!

R. Gauci

Feb 25th, 07:39

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c_qDp8fy0vY

Martin Formosa

Feb 25th, 07:33

What about that bad hump on the coast road past the coast line hotel going towards Sliema just before you hit the black spot bend opposite the Ghallis tower? I am sure many drivers know about it especially bus drivers, vans and trucks.

Dennis Zammit

Feb 25th, 07:30

What about In Marsa next to the Turkish Cemetery and in Paola, Kordin, the area behind MCAST and near the Civil Protection Humanitarian Depot?

joe briffa

Feb 25th, 07:15

Patching????/ We are paying the ADT for PATCHING millions of euros every year????for at least since I was I remember we are paying millions.at least for these last 40 years,for getting our cars shaky and rattling,and now for PATCHING roads,,,apart from the chaos there is on our roads,ADT useless....as always

Ben Agius

Feb 25th, 06:47

temporary repair work followed by "permanent patchwork" - the joke continues. And some believe Malta is not a third world country! In this area it surely is and Governments, of all colours, cannot come to grips with the problem and use money and the many bravi periti that come out of University each year to plan and execute a real road building programme that can last twenty years!! As someone once said to me: if they do that they will succeed of putting themselves out of a job!! Hahaha

M. Attard

Feb 25th, 05:59

Local council elections in the pipeline, and some superficial tarmac if any, will be temporary in place. lets hope it won't melt away with water in a few days just before the march elections.

Philip Hili

Feb 25th, 00:47

I hope that this job is:- "temporary repair works" because potholes repaired while they are still wet, last for a short period. In the past, when the PWD used to repair potholes, first and foremost the potholes had to be dry, then, a layer of tar was spread in the pothole and then stone chippings used to be spread in the pothole. These repairs used to last for a long time because the job used to be done properly.

Charles Falzon

Feb 25th, 00:33

Well done times.com, even though StaLucija was left out.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Feb 24th, 23:54

Seeing the above list can anyone please report one decent road?

Eu or no EU potholes rule the day? As long as we get a new parliament who cares!!

And just in case you're worried Dr. Gonzi expects cars to last 7 years so all is perfectly taken care of and meticulously calculated.

For parliament we pay, for the damage to our vehicles we pay, for Dr. Gonzi's car and driver we pay. So why worry? We pay and others squander with impunity

R J Grech

Feb 24th, 23:00

How about resurfacing the much used nightmare road from Zejtun to Bulebel and It-Triq tac-Cawsli in the same locality?

J Hili

Feb 24th, 22:54

whats the piont patching up roads and the next day is worst than before !!

R Galea

Feb 24th, 22:50

yeah!!!! nkomplu nraqqu l-pannu bil qargha ahmar! b'min tridu tkomplu titnejjku??

Ganshida Soldado

Feb 24th, 22:37

Why are you guys crying about Gozo. Not many live there and the majority are retired couple who do not drive anyway. You have to prioritise your work, Gozo can wait a few more months surely.

A Debrincat

Feb 24th, 21:34

This evening they where doing which looked liked resurfacing work in victoria gozo near dun bosco.

carmel attard

Feb 24th, 21:23

More than 70 roads mentioned in Malta and not one in Gozo. Quite disproportionate!! Anyone responsible??

Ramon Cassaro

Feb 24th, 21:17

As usual poor GOZO and GOZITANS always treated as second (maybe third) class citizens,could be because now we have eco-Gozo,the roads are not even fit for donkeys. L`aqwa li fejn joqodu certu nies hemm tarmac gdid,qieghdin sewwa ahna,qieghed sew kullhadd.

Shaun Anthony Camilleri

Feb 24th, 20:52

And can they repair them then and then instead of digging a whole then filling it up weeks later. Also is it posibble to sue? My car has axle damage due to these 'potholes' (more like wells).

Carmel Camilleri

Feb 24th, 20:44

And GOZO ??????????

Victor Pulis

Feb 24th, 20:27

No mention of Senglea wharf by the way.

mario salnitro

Feb 24th, 20:25

This morning they started patching up Old College Street Sliema by the afternoon the holes reappeared and it did not even rain !!!! well done to the department concerned very taqghu ghac-cajt tal- misthija .

Marija Sammut

Feb 24th, 20:25

Is there any hope of patching Hal Far Road, Zurrieq. From St. Agatha's Chappel to Hal Far. To drive one has to zig zag ALL the way, Mostly one has to drive on the wrong side of the road because of too much pot holes some of which are about 1/2 meter deep. This road is very dangerous, especially after it rains because the holes will be full of water one will not be able to calculate the danger. Please take note..

laurence fava

Feb 24th, 20:10

lanqas triq wahda m'hemm msemmija f ghawdex............... ahseb u ara kem hi msemmija SANNAT ROAD (gozo)

Jeanette Abdilla

Feb 24th, 19:51

META JMUT XI HADD B XI MUTUR FIT TRIQ IC CIMITERJU TA HAL KIRKOP , SE JAGHMLUHA DIN ID DIZASTRU TA TRIQ, TAL MISTHIJA, FEJNHOM TAL KUNSILL, ISSA EJJEW HABBTU L BIEBIN TA, ILA GHOXRIN SENA HEKK.

Joseph Calleja

Feb 24th, 19:51

Do any of you remember the vintage song Taxi Mary and how those two visit every village in Malta in search of I don't know what? Same thing should happen here, and that is for the Infrastructure Minister, sorry but the name escapes me,( senior moment I suppose) to go around visiting all the villages in his shiny PERSONAL car and find out what these citizens are grumbling about. Oh by the way I suggest he invites the bigwigs of TM and that they must tag along in their personal cars. No limos please. Maybe they can have a contest of who can avoid the most potholes?

Victor Pulis

Feb 24th, 19:36

TM STOP ADDING INSULT TO INJURY. WE DON'T WANT PATCHING UP WE WANT REAL ROADS. WE KNOW WHAT YOUR PATCHING IS LIKE.
TM said that various permanent jobs were originally scheduled for the first weeks of this year but the works Don't make us laugh TM. These roads have been in a disastrous state for years. Do you take us for fools?
and why patchwork when permanent jobs were planned? isn't this money, our money down the drain?

Permanent extensive patching works, it said, will follow in due course.
And when is the course due?! Why all of a sudden TM has become aware of the urgency to fill the potholes? Fronm next week prepare to see armies of workers piling dirt into holes and pouring tar on top. That's the patching TM is capable of. Then wait for the next downpour. Amateurs.

william cauchi

Feb 24th, 19:20

''But the works could not start because of the weather''.

Suppose Malta was the UK, where it rains practically every day, how do the British manage to keep their roads in such perfect conditions which we all envy.

TM, kindly find other excuses please, cause you are not convincing anybody.

Christine Bailey

Feb 24th, 19:19

Thank you ToM. Please do publish another article in the next few days to check how the situation evolves. Apparently if people comment and show their anger online someone takes some kind of action. I still don't agree with patching since it is a short term solution but hopefully I will not be driving like in a videogame, trying to avoid potholes and other dangers.
Now please can we tackle the unsightly hanging cables - telephone, electricity etc...

Janet Bayes

Feb 24th, 19:17

Can one assume we are to get the permanent stuff after the current roadworks end then here in Gozo? Or are all the funds to be spent in Victoria and the rest of the island to become one great big pothole?

Peter Axisa

Feb 24th, 19:17

"TM said that various permanent jobs were originally scheduled for the first weeks of this year but the works could not start because of the weather." You have to give them this. It is pointless filling in a pothole which has not had a chance to dry off because of the persistent damp weather. Filling in a pothole which has not drained off well will only serve to justify some of the comments below i.e. that the "repair will only last a couple of weeks". That is because there will not be proper adhesion unless the pothole is sufficiently dry.

Julian Borg

Feb 24th, 19:11

Stop it please!!! Dejjem tgergru....Joseph will heal every pot....

Cheryl Saliba Ellul

Feb 24th, 19:06

PATCHING WORKS!! ha jservu it-toroq jekk bil-patch work ha nahdmu. Flokk il-quddiem lura sejrin, patch work fin-1900 kienu juzawh ghax kien hawn nuqqas ta materjal u fondi.

Ray Pace

Feb 24th, 18:57

Has anyone from the Transport Malta or the Mosta Local Council visited Triq il-Waqqafa Mosta - this must be the worst street on the island.

vella m

Feb 24th, 18:54

A very big thank you to the Times.

Ryan Bugeja

Feb 24th, 18:53

and yet, not a single road in Gozo is to be fixed?

About 70% of streets in Gozo currently have ATLEAST two potholes which are dangerous, and may cost people new tires/rims/wishbones/ball joints.

Transport Malta - wake up and smell the rubber.

Michelle Calleja

Feb 24th, 18:52

"The authority called for the public's cooperation ..." How about the authority showing cooperation itself and tell us all who sustained damages how to be reimbursed?

A.M. Galea

Feb 24th, 18:52

What about the road known as it-triq tac-Cawsli Zabbar , especcially the part from Zabbar Arch leading to Zejtun . The most disastrous part is from Hompesch Arc leading to the windmill that needs urgent repairs . I am not saying that the remaining road leading to Zejtun is in good condition , because it is more like riding on a roller coaster , but compaired to this part there is no comparison .

Simon Bonello

Feb 24th, 18:51

inraqqu l-pannu bil qargha ahmar jghid il-malti

Neville Roberts

Feb 24th, 18:51

Why next week, some of these atrocious holes have been there for weeks? Transport Malta another JOKE! When is this country going to become part of civilization with it's backward treatment towards it citizens?

Charles Micallef

Feb 24th, 18:51

An effecient admistration would gather a workforce ready on the days when we have torrential rain to action such works the following day and not wait for the Times to remind them to fill the potholes, some days later!

Michael Flaherty

Feb 24th, 18:51

No, no a thousand times, NO!
Patching will not solve the problem! At the first stress, there's the risk that the patch will dislodge itself, either in part or entirely.

For goodness' sakes. Do they not have a competent civil engineer employed? The only real solution is to replace the entire width of the road, for at least the length of one car, and to do it properly. Just slapping some tarmac on will only result in a shiny fancy new surface with no real footing, similar to those parables that speak of building on sand .. literally.

I think I'm going to refuse to pay my road license next year. At a hefty 350 euro per annum just because it's a 13 year old diesel car (thirteen, folks, not THAT old, disney's Hercules came out that year), one would expect streets inlaid with rubies.

Armchair critic? Most definitely, however, it is beyond comprehension that our roads are constantly being repaired to no avail. One starts to suspect shoddy workmanship on purpose, or genuine incompetence.

Stefan Attard

Feb 24th, 18:48

are we gozitans part of maltese islands??? i thing gozo is used when needed from the maltese but nothing else. we need quality roads as we pay taxes as well. can somebody do somthing in this gem of an island pls???

Rich Brad saunders

Feb 24th, 18:48

I like the heading Road Patching work :- i wonder who is supplying the super glue - cause after a few days of rain and its back to square one. Pot holes galore, I don';t see Gozo on the list, maybe we should call it apart from the sleeping island, the land that time forgot. The British Whinger is at it again!

george vassallo

Feb 24th, 18:38

And what about Gozo? We pay road tax as well dear TM chairman!!! In gozo we have potholes nearly in every road you drive on, so why not try and keep us happy as well?

Carmel Zammit

Feb 24th, 18:29

This is obviously the result of what should have been a leap into quality as promised by Dr. EFA years back.

Audrey Galea

Feb 24th, 18:25

diga bdew!

P. Attard

Feb 24th, 18:25

They have already started patching Naxxar Road, Birkirkara. This morning while I was cycling down this busy road there was a truck full of tarmac material and a steam roller just behind it! Hope the work will be well organized and properly done!

Laurence grech

Feb 24th, 18:24

bugibba le?

Joseph Degabriele

Feb 24th, 18:21

What about Triq L-Imprendituri Mriehel Industrial Estate Mriehel. The street is between a large home improvement centre and chinese restaurant / take away and very close to waste bringing site. The street is awful with metal (xibka tas-soqfa) coming out of the concrete.
Joseph

Joe Grech

Feb 24th, 18:21

Is an election coming up? Why does this administration which treats citizens with the utmost disrespect for years on end suddenly wakes up to its responsibilities only when an election is approaching?
Do we really want to have such politicians representing us in Parliament?

Audrey Galea

Feb 24th, 18:21

diga bdew!

Charles W. Sammut

Feb 24th, 18:18

Someone is making good money from this "temporary" patching business. It only lasts a couple of weeks. This job must rank with that of undertakers, near the top of the permanent, guaranteed jobs list.

Mr Matthew Sultana

Feb 24th, 18:17

You see? We're the best in Gozo… no need for patching or whatever! (sic)

B Attard

Feb 24th, 18:16

Kellhom ikunu tat-Times biex jiccaqalqu TM

B Attard

Feb 24th, 18:14

what about St Patrck street Birzebbuga?better step on the moon

Charlie Christ Abela

Feb 24th, 18:12

And what about Gozo? Does that mean that Gozo does not have any potholes? Or does that mean that we get neglected again? And what about the damage we sustained to our vehicles? Because when I sent a letter to the concerned authorities they plain and simple put the fault on me and got away from the problem...as if I did the pothole myself or run into it just to destroy my car

P Debono

Feb 24th, 18:11

Gozo roads are such a good state that they don't need any work!!!

Joseph Calleja

Feb 24th, 18:09

I hate to say this, but this is the customary band aid. When is the real work and the real paving going to be done? These potholes will show up again with the first rains and that is a fact. Do something right for a change. You have a good excuse, there is a general election approaching. For crying out loud. Why not do something right the first time so we don't have to worry about so many potholes in our roads. Time to get somebody that knows what they are doing, these potholes are becoming comical.

Mr M. Vella

Feb 24th, 18:06

and will this patching last till the next heavy rainfall?

you would be only fooling yourself if toy call the usual hasty patchwork a "repair"

Joseph N. Attard

Feb 24th, 18:06

The proposed repairs all consist of "Patching". One sincerely hopes that this patching will be done in a professional way, not by the usual slap-some-cold-tarmac-in method. Otherwise, there go tens of thousands of taxpayer money down the drain (literally) again.

Joey Attard

Feb 24th, 18:05

And where is GOZO?? Or TM is only for Malta?? Shall we invent Transport Gozo TG??!! UNBELIEVABLE

Stuart French

Feb 24th, 18:04

fixing potholes, as a temporary measure is great, but why, is Mellieha's triq il qortin a permanent patchwork quilt of pothole repairs, its been 9 years of patching, there really is no real road surface left

S Micallef

Feb 24th, 17:56

Thank you to the Times!!!