Updated April 23 10.20am
Concrete barriers have been installed on Tal-Balal Road as part of the reconstruction project of this thoroughfare in a bid to improve safety, Infrastructure Malta announced.
The same system is also being adopted to safely separate the two new three-lane carriageways of part of Triq Reġjonali.
The measures come amid a public debate on the level of safety on Maltese roads following a spate of serious, including fatal, accidents.
In a statement, Infrastructure Malta said the CE-certified concrete barriers could contain the impact of a 13-tonne bus travelling at speeds of up to 70km/h.
Their lack of sharp edges made them safer for motorcyclists, and studies had shown that such barriers "reduce the likelihood of severe injuries to helmeted riders involved in motorcycle-barrier collisions," the agency said.
The barriers are being cast at a local plant which has been audited by international certification body TÜV to ensure European safety standards are respected, Infrastructure Malta added.