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.  

The barriers are being manufactured locally under licence.The barriers are being manufactured locally under licence.

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