Last month I had suggested that the Traffic Management Unit within Transport Malta may well be ‘not fit for purpose’. The unit I was opinionated about was the original brainchild of Major Peter Ripard, chairman of the Traffic Control Board.

In the period 1995-2000 we concentrated on road signs and 40,000 were authorised along with pedestrian crossings by the score, properly constructed road humps, not the horrible suspension crunching hard rubber creations so popular with Transport Malta today and so often incorrectly placed for the prevailing speed limit, latterly a few pelican crossings, box junctions, roundabouts and basic road markings and so on until the ADT was formed.

Traffic management became a directorate under a remarkably well-qualified architect and in my opinion things changed overnight. It was the attention to detail that was all important because most obviously the use and placing of incorrect signage may well have dreadful consequences and to counter any slackness on anyone’s part was of paramount importance in the 1990s.

Thumbing through The Sunday Times letters I was pleased to see that Roger Castillo had seen my photos of the incorrect signage on the approaches to the hazardous bridge on the road to Burmurrad from Naxxar. Sadly the whole point of the exercise seems to have passed him by.

When the road becomes single lane or is too narrow for two approaching vehicles, one side must have an advisory, rectangular sign, with a long white arrow on the left and a short red arrow on the right usually with a signboard reading: ‘Priority over oncoming vehicles.’

The other approach must be marked with an obligatory circular sign (all circular signs are obligatory). This sign will have a short red arrow on the left and a long black arrow on the right and might carry words on a notice board reading: “Give way to oncoming vehicles.” If all drivers had a copy of the Highway Code and understood the importance of correct signage, Transport Malta would soon have to get their act in order.

We have now reached such a state that contractor Grima, an expert in carriageway markings and an importer of road signs, phoned me at home complaining about the amateur attempt at painting a centre marker up the newly surfaced Mosta Bypass. It’s really a horrible sight, highlighted by ‘On The Dot’ one recent Monday.

The continuation of the bypass was only open to traffic going downhill recently for half the length of the road and traffic coming uphill found a ‘Give Way’ sign and a ‘Diversion’ sign taking oncoming traffic to the right. Unfortunately, the ‘experts’ also put a ‘Give Way’ sign for traffic going ­­downhill and, to compound this absolute stupidity, weeks after the road was reopened both ‘Give Way’ signs were still in place.

My next bone of contention will now be raised once again. This refers to the bridge over Mosta Valley near Fort Mosta where traffic leaving the major road, Mosta Fort Road turning left has to ‘give way’ to traffic coming along Mosta Fort Road wishing to turn right onto the bridge.

What a monumentally hazardous instruction this is. Many of us have indicators which only turn off after making an abrupt turn, so take this scenario on board. Car 1 is motoring along Mosta Fort Road with no intention of turning left, but with the flashers working their jaunty tune. Car 2 sees the flashing indicators, assumes the vehicle will turn left and ‘Give Way’, so proceeds gallantly across the centre line and towards the bridge. Wham, Bam who gives a damn?

The last bit of stupidity occurred when I swung off the Coast Road into Kennedy Drive and was stopped by a friendly warden, yes a genuinely friendly warden, who informed me that Kennedy Drive had been made ‘One Way’. He and I walked down to the junction where indeed on the central reservation there was an arrow pointing to the Left and out of vision for the Mini a ‘No Entry’ sign. Once again Transport Malta appear to have boobed big time.

Here in Malta we drive on the left and of course there should have been a large round sign 50 or so metres before the junction with ‘No Right Turn’configuration thereon. The junction itself must always be marked with a ‘No Entry’ sign on the left of the carriageway with space permitting a ‘No Entry’ sign on the raised centre if it’s that sort of road. The warden understood my deep and unhappy objections and wished that he could have placed the correct signage which would have made his life much easier.