Buses into Mġarr have been suspended altogether "until further notice" due to Infrastructure Malta roadworks being carried out on the main road into the town, according to the local council.

The government roads agency begin works on Triq Sir Temi Zammit last month with the aim of improving safety by transforming the the main artery between Mosta and Mġarr into a dual carriageway route, with one lane in each direction separated by crash barriers or bollards.

But the temporary carriageways in use while works are ongoing have proved to be narrow for the 12-metre buses that serve Route 44, Mġarr's main public transport link. 

The local council said on Saturday that, together with Transport Malta, it had been putting pressure on Infrastructure Malta to increase the width of the carriageway. 

Instead, the local council was informed that the main bus route into the town had been suspended in the Valletta to Mġarr direction "until further notice" as the road was no longer safe for buses. 

Instead of entering Mġarr, Route 44 will now divert down from Mosta to Burmarrad and from there onwards to Golden Bay via the St Paul's Bay Bypass and Triq Għajn Tuffieħa. 

Buses will only pass through Mġarr in the reverse direction, after stopping at Golden Bay. 

Regular commuters on the route said the suspension of the main route would add up to an hour to journeys from Valletta. 

Some Mġarr residents have already voiced frustrations over the effect of the large number of roadworks being carried out almost simultaneously in and around the town. 

Apart from Triq Sir Temi Zammit, works are also ongoing on the road into the Mġarr square and the road leading down to Ġnejna Bay. 

One elderly resident described feeling like "a prisoner" in the village because he did not feel safe driving through the very narrow paths forced by the roadworks.

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