[attach id=242210 size="medium"]A somewhat deep pothole where Arriva buses come to rest in Qawra Road, St Paul’s Bay, adjacent to a bus stop.[/attach]
It is entirely beyond my understanding why senior management at Arriva has failed to ‘persuade’ the relevant trenching section manager at Transport Malta that various contractors who have most obviously failed to reconstruct roads correctly after trenching works have been attempted, should not only be contacted, but possibly cajoled, or severely reminded of their contractual obligations to make good after trenches have been dug.
It is a well-known fact within the relevant departments at Transport Malta that trenching weakens the road’s strength by up to 40 per cent.
This is nowhere so apparent as in Qawra Road in St Paul’s Bay, where this month’s classic photo was taken. This pothole lies where the rear wheels of countless buses grind into the old trench at the adjacent bus stop.
Unfortunately, this and some other strange indentations may well account for cyclists hitting the road hard, motorcyclists being scared into submission and thousands of motorists building up a silent hate campaign against Transport Malta.
The following three roads should be attended to at once, before a nasty incident occurs and someone gets hurt.
Wardija Hill from Burmurrad upwards is gently sliding into the valley. It carries a bus route and because of the school at the hill top, many mini-buses regularly use it, along with a well-known water supplier whose bowsers are parked at the road’s top.
This road has to be reinforced so that heavy vehicles no longer damage it. The old road up Santi Gap, limits of Mġarr, has parts built on clay; and these sections are once again sliding into the valley.
Surely, the road should carry vehicles weighing less than seven tonnes, but every time the council places a weight restriction, the sign disappears and heavy water lorries and farm trucks use this most convenient of roads.
Like Wardija, this road is way beyond the competence, expertise and payroll of the relevant council to do a proper repair job.
My third bone of discontent is Bidnija Road from Tarġa Gap towards Bidnija church.
This and some other strange indentation may well account for cyclists hitting the road hard
The bridge is monstrously dangerous for any unwary motorist; the bus route and heavy farm vehicles play havoc with various areas of this road, even though it was surfaced in the non-too-distant past; and once again, this time the Mosta council, will argue that it has neither the funds nor the expertise to make more acceptable 21st century standards and expectations.
The antics of various Arriva drivers approaching the junction of Labour Avenue with 21st September Avenue in Naxxar will shortly be recorded on camera and the results sent to the Police Commissioner.
The bigger buses are, so far, on the incorrect side of 21st September Avenue when they try to enter Labour Avenue. If they cannot turn right, they should turn left, go round the church and down Labour Avenue.
The majority of drivers are nonsensical. However, once in a while, a driver will do things correctly and go round Naxxar parish church, causing minimal annoyance to all other road users.
As a former driving examiner, I speak from experience and fact. Some time ago, I had a moan about some Arriva buses following me far too closely at speeds far above their maximum, that I was forced to exceed the local limit, especially on the fast straight after Għallis Tower, screaming into Salina Bay.
On March 1, ex-British traffic patrol officer Graham Davis from Spalding recorded his dismay at being taken for an unwanted ride at speeds of up to 100 km/h by an Arriva bus driver, who then left his party of four stranded at the ferry terminal instead of at the Bird Sanctuary, as he ordered his passengers off his bus and closed the doors.
As it seems to be beyond the company management’s remit or competence to control the minority of hard men whom they employ, perhaps a group of foreign mercenaries could be brought over to sort out various problems that have arisen among the minority of the bus-driving fraternity.