Cyclists have requested a meeting with Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg to discuss ways in which the €70 million Marsa Junction project can be adapted to be made more bicycle-friendly. 

In a statement, the Bicycle Advocacy Group said that the massive road project only included “token” infrastructure for cyclists and risked leaving bicycle users heading from or to Paola, Fgura, Mcast or Cottonera unable to travel safely.

The statement was endorsed by four other NGOs - Birdlife Malta, Futur Ambjent Wieħed, Moviment Graffitti and Nature Trust Malta. 

Their fears have been stoked by an outline of the project depicted on a leaflet being posted in people's homes. The leaflet shows how the project's various flyovers, pedestrian paths and a cycling lane will be set out.  

Chief among cyclists’ concerns are plans to create a cycling lane which would only be accessible via lift. 

BAG asked “what are cyclists expected to do if these lifts do not work, as is often the problem with the lift installed at Mrieħel pedestrian bridge”. 

In such cases, BAG said, cyclists heading south towards Mcast would be forced to keep riding to Santa Luċija avenue, while those heading north from Mcast “will have no access to the cycle lane itself”. 

The design depicted on a leaflet being posted to people's homes. The planned cycling lane is marked as an orange line.

The NGO also noted that a cycling lane sketched on a leaflet posted in people’s homes over the past days appeared to have no link to and from adjacent roads. 

“It is unacceptable that a project costing €70 million lacks even the most basic level of accessibility. Once again, Infrastructure Malta has failed to provide safe access for cyclists, leaving them with no option but to resort to using the road with fast-moving traffic.”