Infrastructure Malta is in talks with 54 local councils over the rebuilding of 60km of roads in residential areas every year for the next three years, the government said on Thursday.

Last month Times of Malta reported that local councils are being told they will be given help if they identify key roads they believe could be turned into pedestrian-friendly ones, in a major shift steered by Infrastructure Malta.

The state-run roads agency has asked councils to list roads they believe need to be rebuilt, with each locality handed a tailor-made square metreage of road rebuilding it is eligible for.

It has also committed to developing the equivalent of at least 10 per cent of each locality’s allocated metreage into alternative mobility roads, with segregated paths for pedestrians or cyclists.

The agency's CEO Ivan Falzon had insisted on the need to build bridges with local councils and plan projects together.

On Thursday, Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia also noted Transport Malta would ensure details of roadwork by government entities and local councils are laid out on road signage.

Project details including the entity responsible for the works, and how long the project is expected to last will be included in the signage.