Hompesch Road anomaly

For us residing in the south of the island, it is common knowledge that Hompesch Road is one of the main traffic arteries. Zabbar, Marsaskala and the Cottonera are connected through Fgura to the rest of the island.

In fact, at every instance it is a road that is overly bustling with traffic which, even though at times tends to move very slowly, we usually get along quite well.

I must confess that at times I tend to be lethargic and unless something really hits me I take no action. I did notice with a tinge of irony that the introduction of traffic lights has made the use of such a main road more efficient until one becomes aware of the gross contradiction that exists just a few metres away from Hompesch gate.

It is a two-way road with a two-car lane from Fgura to Zabbar and a one- (at times two-) car lane from Zabbar/Marsascala to Fgura.

On one side of the road there are two petrol stations and a supermarket with signs painted on the road allowing cars to literally cross from one side of the road to another over three lanes of traffic to and away from these amenities.

This is very detrimental as, in the process, besides rightfully stopping for the light change from two different traffic light points about a 100 m apart, one also has to halt to allow cars to whiz nervously across, at times aggravating the situation by the next traffic light change, again stopping dead more traffic on both sides of the road.

I cannot but say that due to this situation I have noticed an innumerable number of car accidents. It would be quite interesting if the authorities involved, including the car insurance companies themselves, would be queried on the number of weekly collisions that actually happen in this area.

At this point I start wondering how come this is allowed when literally just a few metres down the road commuters can go around a traffic island (Hompesch Gate) to serve their exigencies. I also wonder how this is allowed when further down, along Fgura, there is another petrol station and such an atrocity does not exist.

This should not only be of interest to users of this road who are in constant danger but also of car insurance companies which have to pay for every dangerous mishap.

Hopefully now we are a part of EU and having to abide by certain standards this mishap would be sorted out soon by the authorities concerned.