Motorists can expect heavy traffic along the Pietà-Msida road as works have started on a bus lane on the northbound carriageway.

An existing service road that runs along the road from Pietà to Msida will be converted into a bus lane. Transport Malta believes that this will improve traffic congestion in the area since buses travelling towards Msida will shift into the dedicated lane.

Residents feared the project would make the area unsafe because buses would be passing less than a metre away from pedestrians using the kerb.

The transport regulator had said vehicles allowed in the lane would be restricted to route buses, service vehicles and residents’ cars and a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour would be imposed.

No existing on-street parking would be removed and the trees will be retained.