An unintended consequence of Times of Malta reports on possible traffic mayhem during the Valletta Summit on Migration may have been fewer vehicles on the roads.

Motorists who spoke to this newspaper said they had decided to stay at home or make alternative transport arrangements after they read reports in this newspaper that roads would be clogged due to multiple closures.

The police had advised through an official notice last month that “the transit and stopping of vehicles” would be prohibited in dozens of roads, including major arterial thoroughfares between the airport and Valletta.

Roads in St Julian’s, Balzan and St Paul’s Bay were off limits too.

Police sources attributed the drafting of the original notice to ‘a mistake’

The planned restrictions, originally scheduled to take place between midnight on Monday and 11am today, infuriated motorists, many of whom questioned how they would be able to make their daily commute through what would be “mayhem”. To make matters worse, the roads were also to be considered tow zones. When asked about the planned closures, the police said the roads listed in the notice featured in the official traffic plan drawn up for the summit.

However, a second notice was issued whereby the police substantially lowered the number of roads that would be affected.

It was never said what prompted the changes, and while police sources attributed the drafting of the original notice to “a mistake”, Police Commissioner Michael Cassar declined to comment.

Pressed on the matter, Mr Cassar had said the traffic plan had been updated and that another announcement with precise information would be issued the day before the summit.

This notice was in fact published on Tuesday advising that roads in Valletta and Floriana would be closed and that the route from the airport to the capital would only be affected while dignitaries were en route to the summit venue.

After this newspaper reported the original plans to close a long list of roads, Labour supporters posted comments on the social media lambasting the Times of Malta while critics hit out at the government, accusing it of bad planning.

Some drew comparisons with the road closures in place when Malta hosted the 2005 CHOGM.

Unlike this year’s event, a press conference was held five days before the Commonwealth summit announcing the closures and explaining the traffic plan to the media and public.