The zebra crossing close to Paceville Avenue will be shifted a short distance in the coming days, but angry drivers are sceptical that it will help to ease the build up of traffic, which in the morning stretches all the way back to St George's Bay.

The zebra crossing lies on the only exit from Paceville, blocking vehicles from getting onto the main road - which is itself already a nightmare of buses trying to pass each other, tourists getting onto sightseeing coaches, trucks delivering goods and cars trying to avoid pedestrians.

Badly-parked cars are fuelling the problem in a locality where traffic enforcement officers are rarely seen, according to residents. 

As a result, traffic grinds to a halt, backing up past the Millenium Chapel, the Westin and all the way to the Bay Hotel.

Drivers forced to do U-turn, breaching the one-way system

Times of Malta reader Moira Delia sent footage showing vehicles at a complete standstill between Paranga restaurant and the Westin, which she said was a frequent occurrence. The video shows drivers so frustrated that they are forced to do a U-turn and go against the one-way system - causing even more confusion. 

The zebra crossing, which pits a steady stream of pedestrians against anxious drivers, has long been a recipe for disaster as they weave dangerously in between each other, but it remains to be seen whether the move to a narrower part of the road - allowing traffic to turn off into Paceville Avenue - will make enough of a difference.

St Julian's mayor Guido Dalli said the council has come up with three other main suggestions over the past years, and Ms Delia said that Transport Malta was finally responding to residents' complaints, raising hope that at least one junction will be flowing more freely in the future.