Labour MP Helena Dalli is calling for an inquiry to establish why planned road safety measures along Żejtun's dangerous Anton Buttigieg Street were not implemented and who was responsible for the delay.
In a motion tabled in Parliament yesterday, Dr Dalli, Labour spokesman for public investment, called on the government to hold an inquiry given that the Malta Transport Authority's (ADT) plans for the road were approved more than a year ago.
Dr Dalli also asked the government to ensure the ADT's road plans were published and insisted a specific date be given for the project's completion.
On Thursday, a Transport Ministry spokesman said traffic calming measures would be installed along Anton Buttigieg Street by the end of the year.
Works will include upgrading two pedestrian crossings to pelican lights, introducing a third pelican crossing, introducing better signage such as stop signs, adding road markings and installing centre strips and small traffic islands.
"We want a specific date for the completion of the works that is respected. We've had enough of hearing about projects that never materialise on time. The role of the ADT is to ensure Malta's roads are safe and it's not fulfilling that role," Dr Dalli said.
The road claimed the life of six people in the last decade. The more recent victims were Jonathan Seychell and his girlfriend Roxana D'Anastasi, both 20, and their three-year-old daughter Kelsey. The tragedy left four-year-old Lynill D'Anastasi without his parents and sister.
Speaking to the media after tabling the motion, Dr Dalli said the main cause of accidents along this street were speeding and overtaking.
Over the past decade this had been repeatedly brought to the attention of ADT by the Żejtun local council and through a series of parliamentary questions but nothing had been done yet.
The ministry's spokesman defended this delay by pointing fingers at the local council.
Anton Buttigieg Street was classified as a residential road, which meant any road maintenance fell under the council's responsibility. The transport authority was responsible for arterial roads, he said.
Replying to questions by The Times on Thursday, the spokesman said in July 2008 the council had agreed to carry out the necessary works and the ADT stepped in last April when this did not happen.
Mayor Joe Attard, however, said this was a "blatant lie", insisting there never was such an agreement and, over a year ago, the ADT had agreed to do the works. The road plans are dated October, 2007.
Labour MP Charles Buhagiar, an architect by profession, said yesterday the road was clearly an arterial road and should fall under the responsibility of the ADT. He called for the revision of road classification to ensure busy roads labelled as residential were declared arterial, such as Hompesch Road in Fgura and Gżira Road in Sliema.