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Traffic chaos at Cirkewwa

Photo: Alison Micallef, mynews@timesofmalta.com

Photo: Alison Micallef, [email protected]

Total chaos prevailed at Cirkewwa this morning due to the single lane approach to the terminal.

Reader Alison Micallef, who took the photo above, said that the failure to provide a right turn into any of the car parks has added to the mess.

"Many of the cars are not even wanting to go to Gozo but are all being forced to enter the terminal only to turn around and return to the car parks opposite the Paradise Bay hotel.

"This was predicted to happen but it seems no one wanted to listen."

Ms Micallef noted that no provision had even been made for ambulances.

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C Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 18:36

There are 200,000 cars in Malta for only 2000km of road. By far the most densely populated country in the EU both with regards car density and population density. That is why you get the congestion seen this morning at peak/holiday times. This will only get worse. Adding more lanes/roads simply encourages more car ownership, a proven fact worldwide.

The solution? Less cars in Malta and more of the population using the very comprehensive transport infrastructure. There is no other solution.

GL Calleja

Sep 21st 2012, 17:40

Don't think so because not too many of them commute between Malta and Gozo.

A Camilleri

Sep 21st 2012, 16:30

Exactly. Why a single lane from it Torri l- Ahmar to ferry terminal? Who is the bright guy? If there is a slow driver or an accident that's it. No lane to overtake and we end up with the usual corridor of cars and fuming drivers. And again, was there need or all those crash barriers - its not like the road lends to extremely fast driving.

C Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 17:19

The problem is that most Maltese don't want to pay a fair price for the crossing and ultra modern facilities. I mean what does it cost, €15 per car incl the driver and another €5 per passenger,? So that's €35 for 5 people and a car for a return journey. Go and take a look at a very similar crossing in the UK, to the Isle of Wight. Similar distance but €120 just for the driver and car. Believe me, pay is not 4 times that of Malta in the UK and that price was more than 10 years ago. The Gozo channel crossing is a bargain but you can't expect top facilities unless you pay for them.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Sep 21st 2012, 19:45

C. Cssar: how can you from your armchair in England, know how this siutation feels?

Freddie Micallef

Sep 21st 2012, 14:51

isbah din Sur Cardona,jien nahseb gonzipn hu responsabbli,alla hares ma kienx jaf b'din il kummiedja ta triq,anke li kbar inbeccili jinduna li dik t triq mhux qeda sew..imma r ras iebsa u il poter tela ghar ras ukoll..

Adrian Said

Sep 21st 2012, 15:40

sur freddie micallef, qabel tipponta subghajk, ara kienx hemm xi perit minn xi partit iehor involut??? jien ma nafx min huma l persuni involuti pero int tidher li taf sew, ghax mill ewwel ppuntajt subghajk!!

M Grima

Sep 21st 2012, 16:20

@Adrian Said

Kien hemm jew ma kienx hemm xi perit minn partit iehor ma jnaqqas xejn mill-inkompetenza ta GonziPN. Int verament tahseb li ix-xoghol ma sarx skont bil-pjanti li gew maghmula minn Tansport Malta u approvati mill MEPA? Ir-responsabilita taqa fuq dan il-gvern stupidu u inefficenti.

Mr Tony Gatt

Sep 21st 2012, 14:06

You don't have to- it's carnival every day in Malta. The clowns are on the job 365 days a year.

Francis Bonello

Sep 21st 2012, 14:24

Well, Mr Grima, it ia ALL year round in Malta!!!!

Joe Grech

Sep 21st 2012, 14:42

A lot of other places around Malta where you can enjoy a decent carnival

Steven Smith

Sep 21st 2012, 11:45

would be no different under labour

J Busuttil

Sep 21st 2012, 11:59

@ G.curmi

It will be worse under Labour as there will be more cars on the road. Kif taf il-petrol sejjer jorhos.

E. Azzopardi

Sep 21st 2012, 12:07

Do you really believe that anything will be solved? We shall still go on as we are. Total inefficiency from both sides.

It seems to me that there are no competent people who could really make us go forward, not only in economy and jobs BUT IN EVERYTHING ELSE. Malta is not only about the economy and jobs, which of course are extremely important, but there are so many other aspects of running a country.

C Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 11:47

It's single lane to stop the overspeeding that used to take place before. It's the correct design when taking into account the standards and mentalities of Maltese 'drivers. The jam will also teach the Maltese that they are extremely selfish in all wanting to own a car on a tiny island. It's simply not sustainable and was proven yet again this morning.

A. Galea

Sep 21st 2012, 12:19

The Maltese are extremely selfish (in all wanting ) and they all want to own a car...
Bet you don't have a car yourself C.Cassar! Why keep trying to defend the TM for this havoc?
I simply can't understand this mentality.

C Borg

Sep 21st 2012, 12:28

@C.Cassar
Mr Cassar you should call Enemalta to shutdown the power station because people are being very selfish by putting on ac's etc and that's not sustainable.
Looks like you either don't own a car or you never need to use this road!

C Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 12:41

I'm not defending anyone. The single cause of all the congestion on Maltese roads is the sheer volume of traffic. Too many cars and the highest density of cars per road km in the whole of Europe. Why can't the Maltese understand or accept this fact? Building more roads simply generates more car sales and more traffic - fact.

These problems are cause by Maltese citizens who own private cars, no one else. It's very irrtitating to see these same people blame everything else under the sun except for themselves.

These situations will get more frequent and much worse but that's what the Maltese deserve because they won't change voluntarily. It will need a huge stick and a big boot to get anything changed in Malta.

M. Cardona

Sep 21st 2012, 12:58

Ms C Cassar,

once more dishing out at anything Maltese like there's no tomorrow.

Do you own a car? Do you drive your car on this tiny island? Or is it perchance chauffeur driven?

It must be really frustrating to be stuck in Malta when you evidently hate Malta so much. So why do you keep defending government entities?

C Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 11:44

oh please grow up. It was a traffic jam, so what? They happen all over Europe and on a much, much larger scale.

The situation this morning simply shows the selfishness of so many Maltese who insist on owning cars rather than using the public transport network. They really have no concern about anyone else, so hopefully these situations (which will only get worse) will teach them a good hard lesson.

How predictable that so many keep blaming the 'authorities'. This road has been improved greatly from the dangerous race track it was before.

Simple solution to all those in the jam this morning - use the bus.

Toni Borg

Sep 21st 2012, 11:29

imbilli responsabilta ta qajfas jew pilatu? x'ha tamillhom jew x'ha jigri? XEJN! Qatt ma gara xejn. Anzi ir-risposta lil poplu tkun "Oqghod hemm ja Gahan Malti"
jien ma nersaqx l'hemm ghax prezz bi prezz u hin b'hin; low cost flight ticket bir-return tmur fin-nofs u pjacir triplu.

Steven Smith

Sep 21st 2012, 11:33

so speaks a LABOUR supporter :)

D Borg

Sep 21st 2012, 13:22

Mr. Smith

Learn how to read, and more importantly comprehend what you manage to read....

For your info i am not a LABOUR supporter.

It is people of your ilk, who do not know what shouldering one's responsibilities entails - that are holding our islands from developing politically.

TM have been ruining roads financed by our taxes and EU funds, and worse even they stubbornly do not learn from their blatant mistakes - notwithstanding their attention had been drawn.

Thus if nobody at TM and the 'experts' they engage have offered their resignation and paid up for their umpteenth blunder, it is up to the Minister involved to shoulder responsibilty or get some heads rolling.
If the Minister fails to do any, it should be the PM job to clear the stooges.

Needless to say, if even the PM fails to do the clear out, the voters will do it.

Charles W. Sammut

Sep 21st 2012, 11:28

Surely, you mean Fjask Force.

Francis Bonello

Sep 21st 2012, 14:30

Veru, sewwa qal Tonio Fenech!!

Charles Muscat

Sep 21st 2012, 11:22

If you new why ask?

Steven Smith

Sep 21st 2012, 11:34

and you think it will be different under labour....i dont think so

M Grima

Sep 21st 2012, 16:31

@Steven Smith

Well, being worse than GonziPN is impossible to achieve. Did you by any chance experience the roads in Yemen. They look exactly like ours only that no cars use them, except horse-drawn carts?

W Cassar

Sep 21st 2012, 14:27

Im sorry but your attitude is plain wrong wrong wrong!

Just because some drivers use it as a race track you convert it to single lane? How old are you ?

There are certain contraptions to curb such abuses like speed cameras... but no we use a single lane system!

Now thats plain dumb!

Janet Bayes

Sep 21st 2012, 16:20

Maybe Michael Borg the arriva bus could get through if less people used a car! More people on the bus, equals less cars on the road, equals more room on the road.

Steven Smith

Sep 21st 2012, 11:30

as far as i know this is the first time since the road has been opened !

M Grima

Sep 21st 2012, 16:35

@Steven Smith

This road has only been opened a few weeks ago and this was the first time where we had a long weekend. We shall experience this chaos every weekend in summer and every long weekend throughout the year. GonziPN will not work!

George Calleja

Sep 21st 2012, 12:53

You know who said these words...the one and only Evarist Bartolo ...about his own Labour party!!!!

Mr Emanuel Farrugia

Sep 21st 2012, 10:29

Sur Grima,

Mela ma' tafx li c-'champion' Dr Austin Gatt jaghmel kollox bi studju profond u b'direzzjoni perfetta? Dan qatt ma' jiehu zbalji. Mela ma' tafx kemm ghandu konsulenti jahbtu ma' xulxin fil-Ministeru tieghu? Naqbel mieghek 100% habib.

Emanuel Farrugia former Executive Secretary Mtarfa Local Council

Joe Anastasi

Sep 21st 2012, 10:07

Mr. Scicluna, don't hold your breath.

Joe Anastasi

Sep 21st 2012, 10:05

Ma tarax, sur Grech. Ahna Malta qedin ta. Jekk tikritika jejdu li qied ixxewwex kontra il gvern.

Nobody in government, or government departments is ever held responsible for anything here. They all know it best.

Mr Tony Gatt

Sep 21st 2012, 10:46

Like where?

Philip Grech

Sep 21st 2012, 11:56

via siracusa, catania and ragusa then straight to gozo. hekk mr. agius?

M Grima

Sep 21st 2012, 16:38

Very funny. And what if I live in Gozo, do you suggest I swim it from St. Paul's Bay.

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