The Msida local council has called for the removal of what it says is a dangerously placed billboard near the Workers’ Memorial and for traffic lights to be installed at the nearby zebra crossing.

In a judicial protest against the transport authorities, the council said it had over the last few years received a number of complaints about the “dangerous zebra crossing”, which cuts across Msida Seafront Road between the HSBC branch and the square where the monument is cited.

According to the Structure Plan and Transport Malta’s website, the maintenance and upkeep of the road fall under the responsibility of Transport Malta.

Over recent years, the council had asked for a system of pelican lights to be installed but despite several meetings – the last took place with Transport Malta on July 6 – there was no indication that this would be done, the council said.

“Not only were the pelican lights not installed but no maintenance was done on the lights already there and the white paint of the crossing and the lanes had disappeared.”

To make matters worse, a billboard had been set up on the side of the square, making crossing the road from there all the more dangerous, the council said.

It added that it had to resort to a judicial protest because its efforts with the authorities had led nowhere.

It called on Transport Malta and the Transport Ministry to install a system of traffic lights, carry out maintenance and remove the billboard for the safety of drivers and pedestrians.