A big well done to the traffic experts who redesigned the junction between Pantar Road and the main Lija-Mosta road next to the supermarket. First they eliminated the traffic lights allowing vehicles to cross to the other side, Lija bound. Then they shifted the pelican crossing upstream so that cars exiting Pantar Road are now held up at these lights which appear to be permanently on red as people keep crossing to visit the supermarket and the shops.

As if this wasn’t enough, they then adjusted the pelican crossing settings so that for a five-second crossing of the road, the lights remain on red, on each side of the road, for a (measured) 17 seconds, holding up traffic.

There is more. While before cars could exit from this junction via two lanes, they restricted the traffic flow further by reducing this to just one lane by installing bollards.

With Maltese road traffic experts, who needs the German experts? It is now quicker to go through the supermarket parking area than wait at this junction.