State of our roads

In the early Sixties I was assigned, as a clerk, to the foreman of the Water Works District Office (as it was then called), in the North of Malta.

One fine morning this foreman came from a meeting in Valletta and told us that it had been decided to lay dual mains in all newly constructed streets and install dual mains in all existing ones whenever possible. This meant that all streets will eventually have a water main on each side. However, he continued, what was not yet decided was if they are to place the mains in the pavement or just below it, since drainage inspection chambers were to be found in each and every pavement.

To date, 40 years later, as far as I know, this decision has not been taken and water mains are still to be found either in the middle of the road or on one side only, so if repairs to water pipes or any new services are being carried out, the workers will have to dig up from the service to the middle of the road to find the main and close or connect the water supply. Minister Censu Galea was correct when he said that when travelling in a vehicle, he can count the number of households in a street by counting the number of bumps he meets.

It is so evident that the WSC is ruining the majority of our roads, especially now that it is leaving the contractors to cover the trench they dig with an inch, if not less, of cold asphalt. After four vehicles pass over it the trench will sink, with the result that rainwater will accumulate in it and is then splashed by oncoming cars on passers by, also ruining the surface of the roads.

Speaking of roads, I wish to raise another point. It is about the obstruction of pavements during construction works. When in London, in 1988, I noticed that when contractors needed to obstruct a pavement for a long period they made 'temporary wooden pavements' with guards After 16 years this mentality does not seem to have reached Malta.

For example, the area in front of St Luke's Hospital has been obstructed for more than five years. All they did was put up a no parking sign - nothing to protect the pedestrian.

When are we going to learn? Will our entry into the EU do the trick or shall we be forced to do what the other member states do in their own homeland?

Also, some months ago I wrote in this paper about the necessity of painting yellow squares in Paola Square. Within a few weeks these were painted - I cannot say that they painted them after reading my letter. Things are not done within a few weeks in Malta. But, anyhow, I was so pleased to see them that I wrote a letter of thanks to the Paola council. As usual - for local councils - they did not even send an acknowledgement.

Since then they already needed repainting, which they did. But this time they enlarged the painted area in such a way that these nearly touch the zebra crossing in Guzè Damato Street, so that vehicles coming out of this street into the square have to wait for people crossing the zebra lines before they dare to proceed towards the square.

Now it may happen that as soon as a nervous driver sees his way to the square open s/he will drive fast to evade another traffic flow obstructing his passage with the possibility of hitting pedestrians still crossing on the zebra lines.

I think these squares should be repainted as they were the first time, leaving at least the space for one car to be able to proceed into the square awaiting the traffic to be stalled by the traffic lights.