Which was the incompetent authority responsible for introducing the cluster of traffic lights in Triq Valletta, Mosta opposite Triq Pantar? This was a location that never saw any accumulation of traffic except when there were roadworks under way.

These lights, along with a breach in the central strip, were introduced for a new bus route no. 202, which passes once every hour (to avoid it going round the roundabout like other vehicles). Unfortunately, the lights don’t work only when a bus is passing. They’re continuously in operation, halting traffic needlessly and causing an almost continuous traffic jam to block the roundabout, which is only 85 metres away.

As usual, the works were carried out without any proper traffic analysis or planning and the resulting situation is much worse than when they started. The best one can hope for now is that the persons responsible for this mess don’t dig their heels in obstinately in order to avoid admitting they made a mistake.

The lights should only operate as needed, when a bus needs to cross to the opposite side. At other times, the traffic should be allowed to flow freely.