A contractor doing roadworks in Triq il-Marfa, Mellieħa, where a motorcyclist was injured last Sunday, ignored repeated warnings about substandard safety measures.
Transport Malta enforcement officers visited the site close to Għadira Bay on multiple occasions, the most recent just two days before the accident, and fined the contractor for safety failings, the Times of Malta was told.
Luke Montebello, 25, was taken to hospital after crashing into a trench in the centre of the road. The trench was not marked by any warning signs, and light plastic barriers lining the sides of the ditch had been knocked down in several places, leaving one end completely exposed to traffic.
Mr Montebello suffered minor injuries, but his motorcycle was damaged beyond repair. He has filed a police report and will seek compensation.
Enemalta, which commissioned the roadworks, sent personnel on site yesterday morning to guide traffic. The works are part of a major project to upgrade the electricity supply to Gozo.
A spokesperson for Transport Malta, which issued permits and set mandatory safety requirements for the works, said both the regulator and Enemalta had “severely reprimanded” the contractor and asked him to abide by the permit conditions. “Transport Malta slapped fines on shortcomings found and is holding the contractor legally responsible for any damage that might result from this reckless behaviour,” the spokesman said.
The transport watchdog has the responsibility for monitoring roadworks and ensuring compliance with permit conditions, as well as taking enforcement action against breaches, which can include fines, withdrawing permits or suspending contractors from authorisation for future works.
Following Mr Montebello’s accident on Sunday, several other people reported near misses at the same site in Mellieħa.
“I suffered a similar fate in the same place although I was luckier and just took a slip,” one motorcyclist wrote on social media.
“This place is an actual trap. Barriers on the inner lane actually direct you towards the trench. The mud and dust do the rest to make the surface also slippery. Cars are suffering a similar fate too.”