Transport minister Aaron Farrugia on Wednesday blamed traffic jams on traditional feasts, saying roadworks were not always responsible for the long tailbacks.
Drivers have been bemoaning gridlock across the country for weeks, and if Farrugia is right, the queues are set to continue with road closures planned to accommodate peak festa season.
There are 31 feasts planned for August.
These are the roads that will be closed in the coming weeks due to feasts, according to a notice in the Government Gazette. Il-Festa t-tajba!
San Ġwann
The village celebrates Our Lady of Lourdes on August 7, with a raft of road closures in the days before and after.
August 3 from 8pm until 11pm: Triq Ismaek Tifhirek, Triq Ġużè Borg, Triq Taż-Żwejt, Triq Sir Luigi Camilleri, Triq Salvu Gatt, Triq Vincenzo Brared, Triq id-9 ta’ Frar 1799, Triq Tal-Balal, Triq Salvu Busuttil, Triq R. Caruana Dingli, Pjazza Ċentawrja, Triq l-Iskola and Triq il-Pepprin;
August 4 from 8pm until 9pm: Triq in-Naxxar and Triqil-Pepprin
August 5
- 6am to 7am on August 6: Triql-Iskola.
- from 8pm until midnight: Triq iż-Żnuber, Triq ir-Rand, Triq ir-Rummien, Vjal in-Naspli, Triq l-Akaċja, Pjazza Ħawħa, Vjal ir-Rihan, Triq in-Naxxar, Triq J. F. Marks, Triq iċ-Ċieda, Triq it-Torri Ruman, Triq il-Korvu, Triq Birkirkara and Triq in-Naxxar
- from 6am until 7am on August 7: parking area near San Ġwann parish church from 6am until 7am on August 6: Triq l-Iskola
August 6 from 8pm to 11pm: Triq Vincenzo Hyzler, Triq Ugo Carbonaro, Triq Ġużeppi Briffa, Triq R. Caruana Dingli, Triq l-Istefanotis, Triq is-Santwarju, Triq is-Sebuqa, Triq it-Torri Lanzon, Triq il-Qasab, Triq il-Qanneb, Triq Sant’Andrija, Triq il-Mensija, Triq Santa Margerita, Triq Willie Savona, Triq Massabielkle and Triq in-Naxxar;
August 7
- from 10.30am until 2.30pm: Triq San Ġużepp, TriqBella Vista, Triq San Ġwann tal-Għargħar, Triq il-Mensija,Triq Bernardette, Triq il-Kappuċċini, Triq il-Kunċizzjoni andTriq in-Naxxar
- from 2pm to 10pm: Triq in-Naxxar, Triq il-Mensija, Triq Bernardette, Triq il-Kappuċċini and Triq il- Kunċizzjoni;
- from 7pm until 10pm: Triq in-Naxxar, Triq il-Mensija, TriqBernardette, Triq il-Kappuċċini and Triq il-Kunċizzjoni;
Dingli
The village celebrates the Assumption of our Lady in Dingli on August 21, leading to the following road closures.
August 19
- from 4pm onwards: Misraħ Ġużè Abela
- from 8pm until the band march stops: Triq il-Parroċċa and Triq Santu Rokku
- from 8.30pm until 11pm: public transport vehicles will not be allowed to pass through Misraħ Suffara, Triq San Pawl tal-Pitkali, Triq Ġann Mari Abela, Triq ilMerill, Triq Ġużè Ellul Mercer and Triq il-Kbira;
August 20
- from 6pm onwards: Triq il-Parroċċa, Triq Santu Rokku andMisraħ Ġużè Abela
- from 8.30pm until 11.30pm: public transport vehicles will not be allowed to pass through Triq l-Irdum and Triq il-Kbira
- from 11pm until 1am: public transport vehicles will not be allowed to pass through Triq il-Maddalena;
Lija
The month begins with the popular Christ our Saviour feast on August 6, with celebrations leading to road closures from Wednesday.
August 3 8pm until midnight of August 4: Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud, Triq K. Darmanin, Triq is-Salvatur, Triq Ferdinand Grech, Triq Robert Mifsud Bonnici, Triq Ramiro Barbaro, Triq Mario Agius, Triq Mikielanġ Borg, Triq il-Kbira, Pjazza Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq Merino, Triq Perziosi and Triq il-Forn
August 4 from 8.45pm until 1.30am on August 5: Pjazza Trasifurazzjoni, Vjal it-Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud, Triq Preziosi, Triq Merino, Triq il-Forn, Triq Sant’Andrija, Triq Annibale Preca and Triq il-Kbira;
August 5
- from 7pm until 11pm: Pjazza Trasfigurazzjoni, Vjal it-Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq Robert Mifsud Bonnici, Triq Mario Agius, Triq il-Kbira, Triq il-Forn and Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud
- from 3pm until 8pm: Triq is-Salvatur#
August 6
- from 5.30pm until 7pm: Pjazza Trasfigurazzjoni, Vjal it-Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq il-Kbira, Triq Annibale Preca, Triq Sant’Andrija, Triq ilForn and Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud;
- from 10.30pm until 1.30am on August 7: Pjazza Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq il-Kbira, Triq il-Forn and Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud
- from 3pm until 1.00 am on August 7: Pjazza Trasfigurazzjoni, Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud, Triq is-Salvatur, Triq id-Dejqa, Triq Merino, Triq Preziosi, Triq il-Forn, Triq il-Kbira, Triq Mikielang Borg, Triq Mario Agius, Triq Robert Mifsud Bonnici and Vjal it-Transfigurazzjoni.
Gudja
Gudja is one of seven localities in Malta celebrating the Assumption of Our Lady on August 15, leading to the following road closures:
August 9 from 4pm until 9pm: Triq il-Kbira, Triq Raymond Caruana, Triqil-Lunzjata, Triq iż-Żebbuġa, Triq San Mark, Triq il-Fidwa, Wesghet Anġlu Dalli and Triq Santa Marija;
August 13 from 4pm onwards: Triq il-Kbira, Triq Anġlu Dalli, Triq Ħar-Resqun, Triq De Warsberg, Triq Bir Miftuħ, Triq Pietru Galiardi, Triq il-Kappillan, Triq il-Lunzjata and Triq Raymond Caruana;
August 15 from 6am onwards: Triq San Ċiro, Triq Bettina, Triq Tal-Ħofra, Triq F. Castagna, Vjal it-Torri, Triq Raymond Caruana, Triq William Baker, Triq Pietro Cagliardi, Triq Bir Miftuħ, Triq il-Magħsar, Triq San Pawl, Triq il-Fidwa, Triq il-Kbira, Triq Santa Marija, Triq il-Lunzjata, Triq iż-Żebbuġaand Triq Anġlu Dalli.
Għargħur
The celebration of St Bartholomew takes place at the end of August, so these are the road closures published so far.
August 21 from 7am until 1pm: Misraħ il-Knisja
August 24 from 3pm until midnight: Misraħ il-Knisja
August 25 from 3pm until midnight: Misraħ il-Knisja
August 26
- from 5pm until 1.30am on August 27: Misraħ ilKnisja and Triq San Bartilmew
- from 8pm until midnight: part of Triq Għaxqet l-Għajncorner with Triq l-Isqof Gargallo and corner with Triq ilVittmi Naxxarin, Naxxar
August 27
- from 5pm until midnight: Triql-Isqof Gargallo corner with Triq San Baritlmew
- from 3pm until midnight: Misraħ il-Knisja, Triq l-Oratorju, TriqSan Nikola, Triq San Ġwann and Triq San Bartilmew
August 28
- from 5pm until midnight: Triql-Isqof Gargallo corner with Triq San Baritlmew
- from 7am until 4pm: Misraħ il-Knisja, Triq San Ġwann and TriqSan Bartilmew
- from 3pm until midnight: Misraħ il-Knisja, Triq l-Oratorju, TriqEmmanuel Perren, Triq ir-Repubblika, Triq Stiefnu Zerafa,Triq San Ġwann and Triq San Bartilmew
Ħamrun
The road closures to accommodate the St Cajetan feast impact a number of main roads in the area.
August 3 from 7.30pm to 1am on August 4: Triqil-Kbira San Ġużepp, Triq Ċensu Borg, Triq Villambrosa, Triqil-Kbira San Ġużepp, Triq A. Buttigieg, Triq San Franġisk,Triq Barbara and Triq il-Kbira until the band club
August 4 from 6pm until 1.30am on August 5: Triq il-Kbira corner with Triq Ċensu Borg, Triq Cordina Perez, Triq Ħal Qormi, Pjazza San Pawl and Triq il-Kbira until the band club
August 5 from 1pm until 1.30am on August 6: Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp, concert and band march starting from Blata l-Bajda near San Ġorġ Preca chapel, Triq il-KbiraSan Ġużepp, Triq Schembri till near Liberty Club and Triqil-Kbira San Ġużepp until the band club
August 6 from 6pm until 1.30am on August 7: Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp, Triq Fra Diegu, Triq Eldorado, TriqBrighella, Triq Annunzjata and Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp until Triq il-Kanun and back to the band club
August 7 from 8.30am until 4.45pm: Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp, Triq SantaMarija, Triq San Gejtanu, Triq Ħal Qormi and Triq il-KbiraSan Ġużepp until the band club
Mqabba
Another feast to mark the Assumption of Our Lady leads to a week of the village square being shut to traffic.
August 6 -11 all day: the square,Triq Karmenu Ciantar, Triq il-Madonna tal-Ġilju and Triq Santa Katarina
August 12 all day:
- from 8am until 11pm on August 15: Valletta ditch known as Foss il-Kbir between Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir and Laparelli Gardens
- all day: Triq Karmenu Ciantar, Triq il-Madonna tal-Ġilju and TriqSanta Katarina
August 13 all day: Triq Karmenu Ciantar, Triq il-Madonna tal-Ġilju and Triq Santa Katarina
August 14 all day: the square, Triq Karmenu Ciantar, Triq il-Madonna tal-Ġilju (lower part), Triq Santa Katarina and Triqil-Konvoj ta’ Santa Marija,
August 15 all day: the square, Triq Karmenu Ciantar, Triqil-Madonna tal-Ġilju and Triq Santa Katarina
August 16 all day: Triq Karmenu Ciantar and Triq il-Madonnatal-Ġilju,
Valletta
The capital city is marking St Augustine on August 28 with just one closure listed so far.
August 12 from 8am until 11pm on August 14: Valletta ditch known as Foss il-Kbir between Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir and Laparelli Gardens