Transport Malta should be extremely cautious while planning to alleviate the traffic on Xemxija Hill as there is “no going back”, according to an environmental organisation.

The go-ahead granted for the 744-apartment block on Xemxija ridge last week rekindled interest in possibly building a road linking St Paul’s Bay to Ta’ Pennellu in Mellieħa.

The residential project is estimated to add around 1,600 cars to the choked Xemxija hill every day, which already takes an estimated 23,000 cars a day.

Rudolf Ragonesi, from the Gaia Foundation, said it was “of the firm view that extreme caution must be exercised in the planning process before rushing in where angels fear to tread, especially in view of the fact that once new roads have been passed, there would be no going back”.

Once new roads have been passed there will be no going back

Dr Ragonesi said that any plans had to be planned inter-departmentally – not having Transport Malta go one way and the planning authority and resources authority another.

He said the foundation strongly advocated a thorough examination of the traffic network planning for the north, with full public consultation and participation.

In 2006 the transport authority had proposed a bypass cutting through the valley between Mellieħa and Mġarr – past Għajn Tuffieħa – that would see 50,000 cars drive through every day.

In November that year farmers were told the plans had been dropped and that the authority had identified an alternative route through L-Imbordin.

This thoroughfare would have consisted of a road starting from St Paul’s Bay (the road leading towards Għajn Tuffieħa), crossing part of the Pwales Valley, leading into a tunnel underneath the Miżieb ridge, and emerging to link with the Mellieħa bypass.

It was proposed as part of the EU’s Ten-T network but never materialised.