It may be the fact that my ageing process is rapidly catching up with my years. Or that I am becoming more grumpy than usual. But I am finding driving or being driven along the roads of Malta more of an ordeal than ever before. I say that in the sense of becoming more physically conscious of the abysmal state of our roads.

Many tourists remark harshly on that, even if they only suffer our roads for an average of seven or eight days. We’re here all the year round. Complaints about the state of the roads have been made for as long as I can remember. What is being done about them?

Some years back, I believe it was Jesmond Mugliett, when he was a minister responsible for the sector, who announced a programme of upgrading some 460 roads. I do not know whether it was ever completed. Nor do I know whether local councils, which are responsible for the state of inner-village streets, are given enough financial resources to carry out an ongoing upgrading programme.

I do know, though, that I live at Attard, which has some pretty lousy streets criss-crossed with old drainage and water pipes. I am not aware that there are any upgrading roadworks going on, although the council has always had a reputation for being hard working.

It is more than time that Transport Malta tells us what are its plans to upgrade Malta’s roads. If the answer refers to the dichotomy between it and local councils, then my query is a waste of time. So many comments in this area have been a waste of time through the years.

I am finding driving or being driven along the roads of Malta more of an ordeal than ever before

It seems to be an area that does not bother politicians much or, maybe, they do not receive enough submissions, these being dominated by requests for a public sector jobs and/or accommodation. In this context, I was surprised recently when I had to drive along the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq coastal road, something I had not done for a long time. There is a frenzy of works going on, broadening and straightening the existing coastal road and making much inroads into the natural beauty, cactus-dotted stretch in the process.

I recalled that the project, largely financed with EU funds and started by the previous administration, would cost about €53 million.

What on earth for? The existing coastal road had been repaired and conservatively straightened and widened by successive governments. Driving at normal speed to navigate its bends sensibly, it offered a fine experience of the beautiful sea that surrounds us.

Other than for one or two spots that should be seen to by the authorities, very few accidents are ever reported on it and then they take place largely because of irresponsible over-speeding.

The upgraded road, once it’s finished, will encourage those who love to rev up along every quarter of a kilometre of straight passage, unless extensive traffic calming is put in place, which is not usually done in coastal roads.

So what and where is the gain from this massive capital expenditure? The authorities will probably say it was agreed with the EU in a roads programme carved out several years ago along the whole of the Union. If we accept that euro funds should be spent like that, then we are not making the most of membership of the EU.

There is now little that can be done about the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq coastal road, except to ensure that spending does not overrun as usual and that it is completed on time to keep inconvenience to the scheduled span. But, surely, a rethink is necessary if there are other similar capital plans.

A rethink is also necessary about upgrading streets in our villages and towns. The man on the moon must feel insulted by tired comparisons of our streets and roads to the potted surface of his habitat.