Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett has reiterated that one span of Manwel Dimech Bridge will have to be kept closed even over the Christmas season.

He told Parliament however that ‘mitigation measures’ to ease the traffic flow will be announced in the coming days.

The minister earlier today met a delegation from the GRTU, which had called for both spans to be kept open over Christmas.

The minister said in reply to questions by Labour MP Joe Mizzi that so far only variations of Lm18,000 over the contract value had been found justified.

He said that penalties of up to 10 per cent of the contract value could be imposed for the contract delays. The issue is under consideration by the Transport Authority and the Contracts Department.

He said he had requested the Public Accounts Committee to investigate claims about the project being made by Opposition leader Alfred Sant.

Mr Mugliett said the government was continuing to insist that the project has to be completed by March 31.

He also insisted that most roads projects were being completed on time, such as the Hal Far road and the San Lawrenz road. Work on St Paul’s Bay bypass was delayed for justified reasons, he said. The residential roads project was also on time, with half of the 450 roads completed.

Project over-runs were often caused by new requirements and not bad planning, he insisted. Indeed, there was more accountability in the execution of works nowadays than under the Labour government, when even the Bugibba project, which was less complex, went over-budget and behind schedule, Mr Mugliett said.

The House was later during Question Time adjourned for lack of quorum.