As a regular user of the stretch of road connecting the upper part of Ta' l-Ibraġ and Madliena to Tal-Balal (near Mekek cross-roads), I would like to offer a few comments to the ADT concerning its attempts to improve the traffic situation along it.

At the commencement of the Manwel Dimech Bridge project, the road, which was previously used in both directions, was turned into a one-way system in the direction of Ta' l-Ibraġ - Tal-Balal, with the exception of approximately one-half the length on the Tal-Balal side, in order to allow access to a couple of plant yards and a workshop complex situated in a quarry. This has defeated the whole purpose of the exercise since it is precisely this stretch of the road which is the narrowest. Morevoer, by allowing access in the opposite direction towards the plant yards and workshops, heavy vehicles enter into the Tal-Balal -Ta' l-Ibraġ direction under the pretext of accessing these sites then drive through the whole road to the Ta' l-Ibraġ end.

The road is used by school buses and minivans, trucks, construction vehicles and trailers. The ensuing bedlam when two of these monsters travelling in opposite directions get stuck is unfortunately a common sight, especially during school terms. Should they really want to solve the problem, ADT should prohibit all access towards Ta' l-Ibraġ after the Wembley Crane yard.

While they're at it they should also have the protruding wall on the other side removed. This was put up in connection with development works on a site next to the GP Borg yard and has been there for months now. It only adds further to the congestion and difficulty drivers have to face.

Now some weeks ago, ADT thought it wise to invert the traffic direction from 5 p.m. up till 6 a.m. Traffic has been made to flow in the opposite direction during this period. This too is a wrong decision. The volume of traffic and size of vehicles using the road during these times does not require such a restriction. This is confirmed by the vehicles passing through against the one-way system, which hardly disrupts the traffic going in the opposite direction, even at peak times, making a farce of the whole arrangement.

It would be better just to enforce a complete one-way system as described above, between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., and then open up the road in a two-way system between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m.