Motorists were stuck in traffic jams stretching back two kilometres on Monday morning as major roadworks on the second phase of Pembroke junction project got under way.

One driver said she was already late for work while another said that a typical 20-minute journey took him 45 minutes.

Last week, Infrastructure Malta warned of delays on the main road between Swieqi and Pembroke and urged people to take alternative routes for the next four months.

However, drivers who spoke to Times of Malta while they were stuck in an 8am traffic jam on Pembroke’s Triq Alamein said they had no other option because they worked nearby.

“I usually arrive at 8am, but it’s taken me 45 minutes to get from Buġibba to here,” Simone Micallef said.  

Others who took the diversions also reported delays. 

“My girlfriend just called me, It-Telgħa t’Alla u Ommu is also jammed,” said Andre Piscopo.

Traffic was in a slow-moving queue from Sprachcaffe Village on Triq Alamein all the way to Splash & Fun Water Park on the Coast Road.

Roads were especially clogged yesterday as children returned to school after the mid-term holidays and the area had cleared up by 9am when school runs and morning commutes were over.

“With students going back to school, it’s not the right time for this project,” said one woman.

“It (the project) is a good idea but they should do it at night,” said another.

Until February, southbound traffic from the coast road towards St Julian’s will be diverted through Pembroke while northbound traffic will still pass through the main road.

South commuters have been asked to seek alternative routes through Burmarrad or it-Telgħa t’Alla u Ommu in the morning, and northbound commuters told to avoid the main road in the afternoon.

Motorists expressed general frustration with the overall traffic situation.   

“We spend the whole day in traffic; it’s shameful,” said van driver Glenn Grima Butler.

He added that he rarely sees people working when he passes through the Pembroke project.   

Once complete in February, traffic lights on Triq Sant Andrija that allow vehicles driving from the north into Swieqi will be removed and replaced with two hairpin turns. 

Some motorists said they hoped that the temporary convenience would be for the greater good.

“What they are doing is for future development; it will be okay,” Ranjith Chandrakul said.  

Meanwhile one man was not fazed by the traffic – because he was travelling on two wheels.  

“It took me just 10 or 20 minutes to get here because we’ve got a motorcycle, but otherwise it would be really painful,” he said .