Following extensive alignment works, one of the carriageways at ta' Pennellu By-Pass in Mellieha is now open for public use, Transport Malta said.

It said in a statement this evening that access to the bypass has actually been open for three weeks but it was barely being used with all traffic going through the village core.

The authority said that in a bid to reduce congestion along G. Borg Olivier Street, it sent proposals to the Mellieha council for consideration and an agreement was reached for traffic arrangements to be modified.

These arrangements, it said, were intended to keep traffic flowing and would change again as soon as work on the bypass progressed further.

The authority appealed to the public to cooperate and follow traffic signs.