Msida roundabout

Seeing the way the number of cars on our roads is increasing in leaps and bounds I would like to draw the attention of the competent authority to a serious, if not fatal, accident just waiting to happen. It concerns the Msida roundabout, which by anyone's standards must be classed as one of the busiest on the island.

My argument is with the cars coming from the direction of Valletta/Pietà intending to go to Gzira or Sliema through Rue D'Argens that take the innermost lane on the roundabout. As they come down the slight slope and reach level ground on the road near to the police station, 90 per cent of them seem to think that they have the automatic right of way and without a by-your-leave cross three lanes of traffic coming either from Birkirkara or Regional Road to get into Rue D'Argens. Apart from the traffic snarl-up that ensues, as cars just leaving the traffic lights are brought to an abrupt halt again, the police or the Roads Department should look seriously at the safety aspect or lack of it before an accident happens.

To me it seems like common sense to extend the railing that forms the outer side of the inner lane to just opposite the police station, near to the zebra crossing. That way all Sliema traffic coming from Valletta/Pietà would have to stop and make use of the traffic lights that, at the moment, are mainly used by the route buses. The only traffic using the inner lane would be traffic travelling to Valletta or the south of the island.

While on the subject of the Msida roundabout, I am sure that most other drivers will agree with me when I say that traffic flows more smoothly when a policeman does not control the traffic lights. If an increase in traffic flow necessitates an alteration in the length of time the lights stay green, re-set them to operate automatically for a longer period of time and stop wasting police manpower that can be better utilised in traffic control somewhere where there are no traffic lights installed.