The road perched on the edge of a very high drop in the limits of Għar Lapsi may not be at risk of an imminent collapse, but it will probably not prevent a vehicle from crashing down into the quarry below in case of an accident, a leading architect has warned.
After inspecting photos that emerged on social media, professor Alex Torpiano told Times of Malta that the rock beneath the road “appears to be sound” but further studies on its stability are required before determining whether there are cracks and fissures that may cause it to collapse.
But the professor from the University's Faculty for the Built Environment is more concerned about the risks that the bent and inclined road poses to motorists driving, literally, on the edge.
“What does seem rather dangerous is the proximity of the vehicular road to the edge of a very high drop, at a location where there is both a bend as well as an incline,” he said.
“A four to six-course masonry wall, without any pilasters, unsupported over a significant length, will barely resist strong winds, let alone a vehicle skidding, or with failing brakes, particularly since probably heavy trucks use this road.
“A proper crash barrier would be the minimum required.”
“Photos of the bending road leading to Għar Lapsi surfaced online earlier this week showing the road perched on the edge of an enormous quarry where there are ongoing works by the Polidano Group.
A four to six-course masonry wall without pilasters will barely resist strong winds, let alone a vehicle skidding
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola flagged the issue first, posting the photos someone sent him, warning that this might be “a tragedy waiting to happen”.
The photos indicate that slabs of stone were cut off the quarry straight down from the edge of the road. One photo shows a thick crevice in the rock beneath the road and cracks in parts of the boundary wall surrounding the road.
Yet, it is not quite clear who is responsible for the issue.
Infrastructure Malta said that since it is a local road, it falls within the responsibility of the Siġġiewi local council but said it offered its technical help nonetheless. “Infrastructure Malta informed the Siġġiewi council, which is responsible for the local road's maintenance, to look into the allegation made,” a spokesperson for the agency said.
But Siġġiewi Labour mayor Dominic Grech refused to bear the responsibility.
He said the situation with this road is not recent and has been “escalating for a number of years”, during which the council has been “vociferous” in urging the authorities to enforce the law and ensure safety.
“In 2019, if I’m not mistaken, Infrastructure Malta paved the road with tarmac, so it would be good to ask them whether they had performed tests and studies on the state of the road then, and whether safety measures were taken while executing the works,” he said, adding that the council is making “all possible pressure”.
He said that while local councils should serve as a strong voice for residents, it is the central authorities who are responsible to investigate and enforce the laws and ensure that those who break the law bear the responsibilities.
He said the Environment and Resources Authority is mostly responsible to carry out these duties in this case because it has the power to investigate potential breaches of the law, which may be causing a lot of harm to the environment.
Questions sent to the Environment and Resources Authority, which also regulates quarry operations, have so far been unanswered.