Żejtun’s Anton Buttigieg Street is doomed to remain dangerous for drivers and pedestrians until the transport authority and the local council agree on who is responsible for the state of the road.
Transport Malta is insisting the road that claimed the lives of six people over the past decade is a residential road that falls under the council’s remit.
However, Żejtun mayor Joe Attard believes it is a link and main road, as it is part of the locality’s ring road linking Marsascala to Bir Id-Deheb. It should be maintained by Transport Malta as the council does not have the funds to manage such a busy artery, he insists.
A year ago the road claimed the lives of Jonathan Seychell and Roxana D’Anastasi, both 20, and their three-year-old daughter Kelsey. Mr Seychell, who was driving, overtook two cars and hit a bowser driving in the opposite direction.
A few months after the accident, Transport Malta carried out works on the road following a one-time agreement reached with the council some years earlier. The works included road markings and the introduction of pelican lights.
Last week Rita and Charlie D’Anastasi – who lost their daughter and grandchild in the bowser collision – said they felt the road was still dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.
Despite the 50kph speed limit, drivers still overspeed and overtake on the single lanes by crossing the continuous white lines separating traffic driving in opposite directions.
To address these problems the D’Anastasis called on the authorities to introduce speed bumps and centre strips, which could have prevented the accident that orphaned their five-year-old grandson, Lynill.
Traffic expert Joe Micallef Stafrace said a centre strip and speed bumps would help slow down traffic in the area. However, he said, one had to be careful not to narrow the lanes unnecessarily.
When asked whether such measures would be installed, Transport Malta said it had completed all the Traffic Management Unit’s approved works agreed to with the council.
“These approved plans did not include a physical centre strip but pelican crossings, speed signs and other road markings which include a solid white line that prevents all road users from overtaking,” a spokesman said.
The spokesman added that the road was the local council’s responsibility. Proposals for further works should be forwarded, by the council, for approval by the unit.
However, the Żejtun mayor insisted the road should fall under Transport Malta’s responsibility.
He said the only solution to solving the problem was to widen the road, flanked by fields on one side, to allow for a service road for residents. This should be funded by the government.
“Just because there are some houses along the road does not mean it should be classified as residential and therefore fall under the council’s responsibility.
“It is a link road... The council can’t afford to maintain this main road on our budget,” he said adding that a similar situation existed with other roads in the area.