Transport Malta has raised the minimum standards expected of road markings, including skid resistance and durability, Transport Minister Ausatin Gatt said in Parliament.

He said that the requirements had been raised from 1.5 million vehicle crossings to two million. At road junctions, this value has been raised to four million. The new requirements apply to the Ten-T roads currently being rebuilt -Garibaldi, Xatt l-Ghassara tal-Għeneb, Mellieha By-pass, Marfa Road and other arterial and distributor roads which may be upgraded in the future.

Dr Gatt explained that Transport Malta had tested various materials in an effort to improve the quality and durability of road markings, including thermoplastic, cold plastic and high solids.

It was found that performance improved only when the roads had a wearing course of imported gravel - the sort which has been used since 2006 on arterial and distributor roads. This was due to higher values of abrasion resistance, texture depth and less bitumen bleeding.

The difference between the various materials when used on local gravel was minimum and did not yield value for money.

It was also found that reflective material used with road markings (drop-on glass beads that incorporate abrasive granules) deteriorated relatively quickly.

The volume of traffic on arterial/distributor roads is between two million and 22 million car crossing per year.

Transport Malta last year collaborated with the Malta National Laboratory which used specialised equipment to measure and calibrate friction levels, enabling the authority to intervene where skid resistance was low.