People travelling to the Malta International Airport will hit turbulence long before getting on their flight, as tarmac laid down near the airport’s entrance has warped and failed.

A spokesman for Transport Malta confirmed that the tarmac was laid by the same contractor who did works on Triq il-Marina in Pietà. The tarmac on that road has warped into clumps at a spot that was already prone to accidents due to the sharpness of the bend and slippery surface.

The state of the tarmac on the Valletta-bound lane in Triq il-Marina, Pietà. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Work was under way yesterday at the entrance to MIA to repaint the road markings, which faded away as soon as the tarmac started to fail – just as it did in Pietà.

The skid-resistant tarmac laid down by the contractor was supposed to improve grip, but soon had the opposite effect, once it started to fail.

The problem was worse on the Valletta-bound lane, where the tarmac warped into clumps, severely reducing grip and stability. The road markings fared no better, as they soon started to fade and stretch.

The markings in the Valletta-bound lane are no longer visible, while those in the Msida-bound lane are on their last legs.

What a spokesperson for Transport Malta called “temporary remedial action” was taken several weeks ago to even out the surface of the Valletta-bound lane, but no more tarmac has been laid.

The tarmac has warped into clumps at a spot that was already prone to accidents

Several motorists have told the Times of Malta that the situation is getting worse by the day.

The roads in Pietà and the one at the entrance to MIA were resurfaced using a relatively new technology called micro-surfacing. It is meant to create a layer which protects the underlying structure and reduces maintenance costs.

Works are under way to repaint road markings which have faded away along with the tarmac at the entrance to MIA. Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi

The spokesperson for Transport Malta told the Times of Malta that micro-surfacing was normally used to enhance the skid resistance and water sealing of roads when they were still structurally sound.

The spokesman said that remedial action was being taken back in July, yet the situation has now worsened.

Transport Malta said the contractor is in consultation with his foreign supplier in order to understand the root cause of the failure, adding that it was finalising its own discussions with the contractor to “resolve these issues and decide the way forward”.

Transport Malta has not made any payments to date for the botched works.