What do you get when you cross a traffic light with a stop sign?

This may sound like the start of a bad joke, but the result of such a union can actually be found in Buġibba.

The traffic lights on the road leading into Buġibba from the direction of Burmarrad and St Paul’s Bay were removed and replaced by stop signs, one of which was hastily mounted to the pole for a traffic light.

The removal of the traffic lights has been the source of an ongoing dispute between the St Paul’s Bay local council and Transport Malta.

St Paul’s Bay mayor Graziella Galea raised concerns about the dangers of removing the traffic lights at such a busy junction. She told Times of Malta that the lights were removed around a year ago, coinciding with works on the Coast Road.

It was pointed out to Transport Malta that a number of accidents have occurred in the busy area since the removal of the traffic lights.

In an e-mail, Transport Malta reassured Ms Galea that if everyone respected the highway code by stopping at the stop sign, no danger would be created for those emerging from this “secondary road”.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi informed Parliament on Wednesday that there were no plans to replace the lights.

PN MP Ċensu Galea asked Mr Mizzi to say who took the decision to remove the traffic lights, as well as when and why this decision was taken.

Mr Mizzi told Parliament that the issue had been discussed by the traffic management committee.

He said the committee decided that a stop sign would be the ideal option under the circumstances.

The Transport Minister said that the installation of traffic lights at this junction would increase the waiting time for those wishing to exit the Coast Road, as well as motorists coming from the roundabout near the St Paul’s Bay bypass.