Mellieha council wants to restrict busy Gorg Borg Olivier Street to one-way traffic, heading down towards Ghadira Bay only.
Transport Malta is considering a request by the council for a four-month trial and will also hold a public consultation meeting.
Mayor Robert Cutajar told timesofmalta.com that the council felt it had to do something about the worsening situation in the village where the number of traffic accidents has been growing, with the narrow roads unable to cope with increased traffic.
Gorg Borg Olivier Street cuts across Mellieha and takes traffic to Ghadira, Cirkewwa and Marfa. The mayor said the council is proposing that the street should be one-way downhill between Triq l-Erwieh and Gorg Borg Oliver. Vehicles in the village can use other roads uphill, while traffic from Ghadira, Mellieha and Cirkewwa would be directed to the bypass unless they required a service from the village.
The council is also proposing that one route bus - the 41, would be allowed to continue using the road both ways to serve the locality. The other buses could use the street downhill and use the by-pass in the opposite direction.
Mr Cutajar said that many residents had complained about the worsening situation and 80 per cent of 404 families surveyed expressed themselves in favour of the change saying it would improve both the environment and safety.
The only objections to the plan, he said, were from a few families who lived behind the church, who were afraid that the new system would increase traffic in their area, and the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU.
The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association had initially also objected to the plan but it now appears to have accepted the proposal following further consultation, Mr Cutajar said. Five consultation meetings have been held by the council - three with residents, two with the business community.
Mr Cutajar said that if the council's proposal to turn the road one-way is accepted, the council could also eventually widen the very narrow pavements.
It would also work on a proposal for a Park and Ride to be set up near the Belleview restaurant. The council has already spent €20,000 on a feasibility study and it has identified land which could be used for the purpose. This would encourage the people to leave their car in the outskirts of the village and take a bus to the centre.
TM is holding a public consultation meeting about the proposal on January 19 at the Mellieha Primary School in New Mill Street. The meeting is at 6.30 p.m.