All four lanes of traffic running through the Kirkop tunnels will reopen to vehicles come Monday morning, as Infrastructure Malta enters the final phase of a roadworks project in the area. 

Motorists commuting through the area have complained about the pace of works and say lane closures due to the works have caused gridlock during peak traffic hours. 

Their concerns were partly allayed by Infrastructure Malta on Saturday, with the roads agency saying that it would be completing most works involving the Kirkop tunnel this weekend. 

Finishing works, which include the installation of new lighting, fire safety and emergency equipment and signage and the application of a final asphalt layer, will then be wrapped up by workers labouring at night. 

In a statement, the Nationalist Party slammed the plan, which it said betrayed a lack of coordination. 

The area, it said, had been congested in recent days because of the number of roads closed for works at the same time, to the detriment of residents.

The Kirkop tunnel works form part of a €10 million project to revamp four sets of tunnels across Malta and improve their safety standards to bring them in line with EU norms.

Along with the Kirkop tunnel, works are targeting tunnels at Tal-Qroqq, Santa Venera and Ta’ Giorni.  The project was first announced in February 2019.