The Mosta local council has come under fresh fire after residents of a quiet piazzetta in the village core woke up to bright red road markings and reflective bollards. 

The area known as Pjazza Brittanja hosts a whitewashed statue of the Virgin Mary and serves as a junction between three narrow streets characterised by traditional Maltese houses with limestone facades. 

The new road markings that appeared around the statue this week jarred with the atmosphere and character of the area, according to residents.

Thomas De Martino, a resident and PN local council candidate said the new road markings had turned one of the few places in Mosta with traditional Maltese village into a “regional road”.

“You don’t have to be a genius to realise that the work is not appropriate and doesn’t match the character of this neighbourhood,” De Martino said. 

Moreover, the new traffic management system in the area has caused massive inconvenience to residents. 

Residents were quick to chime in on their displeasure with the piazza’s new look, with some comparing the bright neon colours to a garish carnival display. 

“Is this where carnival celebrations are being held this year? Asking for a friend,” one woman commented on a Facebook post in a residents' group discussing the issue. 

“It’s a real shame, it looks like the red carpet they roll out for newlyweds, there’s never a dull moment in the village,” said another. 

One resident who recently purchased a house on that street said it was incredulous that homeowners seeking to work on their homes in the UCA are put through rigorous hoops to respect the character of the area but that the council was allowed to forge ahead with these road markings. 

“The permits you need to obtain for small works are numerous, not to mention the waiting time for approval. Given that the area is a UCA, I agree with this, it's fully understandable. But this mess, was it ever approved by the authorities,” she asked.

In a statement reacting to the public outcry, the Mosta council implied that the bright road markings are temporary until motorists get used to the new traffic management system. 

“For those who are preoccupied with the road markings and plastic bollards in Brittania Square due to the new traffic management system, please rest assured that once this one-way system is tested, this area will also be upgraded similarly to what we have done in Main Street, even with the possibility of having benches,” they said.