Two Għajnsielem residents and the locality’s mayor have opened up about their concerns over a decades-long fight to install a speed camera or other traffic calming measures on one of Gozo’s “deadliest” roads.

Resident and long-time councillor Stephen Mercieca says he has seen more horrors than he can count on that street, and Alex Spiteri is just one of the many residents who had their cars or their front porches smashed in the middle of the night.

Times of Malta visited the road leading to the ferry, where Għajnsielem residents have long pleaded with authorities to install a speed camera along the notorious stretch plagued by serious and even fatal accidents.

While some measures, like black spot signs, were installed, residents and the local council insist it has been hardly enough to deter speeding drivers.

A speed camera would be best, they say, and in its absence, rumble strips, speed humps, plastic bollards and speed gun spot checks would be the minimum necessity to help curb the danger.

But no matter how much pressure they exert on the authorities, no significant measures were taken for decades, they said.

In a reply to questions, Transport Malta indicated plans for the installation of speed cameras, but the details remain unclear.

If installed, they would be the first in Gozo. 

‘I picked her off the ground and she was dead’

Mercieca has been a PN councillor in Għajnsielem since 1996, and has been fighting for the cause with both Labour and PN administrations ever since.

He also lives on that street, where he says he has witnessed too many horrors.

The worst one happened over 30 years ago, when he had to pick a dead, eight-year-old child off the street moments after she was run over and killed.

He recalled the horrific accident, which happened just across the street from his house, minutes after Mercieca was speaking to the girl and her family.

“We said goodbye and I turned to go into my house, and she crossed the street,” he said. “That’s when I heard a huge noise, turned around and saw her lifeless body on the ground. I ran and picked her up, but it was too late. She was just eight years old - it was shortly after her Holy Communion.”

‘You can hear the windows rattle’

Even as Times of Malta filmed the interviews on the street, several cars were seen speeding down towards the ferry on the road, where accident markings could be seen sprayed along the road.

“That one right there was a motorcycle hit-and-run,” Mercieca said, pointing to one such marking. “The motorcyclist was hit and left on the ground.”

That accident happened on December 16.

“They drive so fast that you can hear the windows rattle when you’re at home,” Spiteri added.

Spiteri said a few years back a speeding driver crashed into his car and another two vehicles that were parked opposite his house, and on impact swirled across the street and almost smashed into his garage door as well.

“It was around 5am, and he destroyed all three cars,” he said.

And yet, Spiteri is among the lucky ones. Several were seriously hurt or died.

NSO figures reveal that in 2023 and 2024, Għajnsielem and Xewkija were among the top three localities that registered the most road traffic accidents, and Mġarr Road passes through both.

In August 2019, the road claimed the life of Ivy Evison, a 41-year-old Latvian woman, in an accident in which seven other people, including three children, suffered serious injuries.

NSO figures reveal that in 2023 and 2024, Għajnsielem and Xewkija were among the top three localities that registered the most road traffic accidents, and Mġarr Road passes through both.

A week later a motorcycle driver was grievously hurt when he was hit head-on by a car that was being driven the wrong way, and another motorcyclist was killed along that road in 2015.

Times of Malta and the council have been in contact over this story for about six weeks, during which residents say they witnessed at least three serious accidents – the motorcycle hit-and-run, a car that crashed into a light pole and another that crashed into a bus stop closer to the ferry.

Mayor Kevin Cauchi explained the road is a hot bed of accidents because it is both a main road – one of the busiest in Gozo – and a residential road, through which many drivers speed as they attempt to catch the ferry on time. 

It is also lined with narrow side streets that often cause accidents between speeding cars and other vehicles attempting to cross over to the opposite lane to enter a side street.

“Numbers don’t lie. We don’t want to slow down anyone – we just need to reduce accidents,” he said.

TM ‘actively assessing’ speed camera option

In a reply to questions, Transport Malta said it recognised road safety concerns and “is actively assessing if it satisfies the eligibility criteria for the installation of a speed camera by collecting detailed data in coordination with the Gozo police”.

“Transport Malta also carried out a site inspection with a representative of the Għajnsielem council to understand better their concerns,” a spokesperson said.

Subsequently, Transport Malta identified traffic calming measures which will be part of the final speed camera assessment and the targeted road safety inspection.

It remains unclear whether this means that speed cameras will, indeed, be installed. A request for clarification remained unanswered.

The road is a hot bed of accidents because it is both a main road – one of the busiest in Gozo – and a residential road, through which many drivers speed as they attempt to catch the ferry on time.