I refer to the letter Dilapidated Bus Stops At Mellieħa Bay (March 4) and would like to inform the correspondent that permits for the replacement of three existing bus shelters have just been issued, following meetings held with the Mepa officials concerned. These involve a shelter at Għadira, in George Borg Olivier Street and in Main Street, Mellieħa. The permit for the bus shelter opposite the Seabank Hotel at Għadira is still under consideration. The council is making every effort with the company responsible for the erection of bus shelters - Faces Consultants Ltd - to expedite the works involved.

I also refer to the letter A Terrible Mess In Mellieħa Bay Area (March 22). While agreeing that the state of Fishermen Street, Octopus Street and Dawret it-Tunnara is not up to the same standard of other roads in the locality, one has to take into account that there are still undeveloped sites in the area. This besides the fact that the schemed road, linking Octopus Street and Dawret it-Tunnara, has not yet been formed by the landowners involved. The council is committed to upgrade the Tunnara area as is clearly evident from the recent resurfacing of Tunnara Quay, at a cost of €53,000. The council is also committed to upgrade the outer stretch of Dawret it-Tunnara and the area around Westreme Battery, in the coming weeks.

With regards to another letter entitled Mellieħa Roads Resurfacing (March 25), I would like to draw attention to the fact that Bridge Street involves road construction and not resurfacing, which works fall under the remit of Transport Malta (formerly ADT). As the correspondent may be aware, Transport Malta has aready laid new sewage mains, together with the relative house connections. The council is informed that the same authority will be constructing new pavements along Bridge Street.

New street lighting will also be introduced by the council at the lower part of Santa Marija Estate as the first phase of a programme involving all the reconstructed streets within Santa Marija Estate. This phase is estimated to cost €85,000.