It is not known what kind of training or expertise the contractors who are assigned the task of painting the carriageway markings happen to have. One thing is certain – there is no consistency between the different contractors.

At the junction where Triq ilLinja, Triq Sant’Anton and Triq il-Ġonna in Attard meet, the carriageway markings have finally been completed after more than a month since Triq il-Ġonna was given a new road surface.

For some reason, the broken white transverse lines indicating where cars need to stop or slow down to yield to other vehicles have been extended beyond the mandatory Yield traffic signs. This practice is in contravention of the illustrations given on page 81 of the Highway Code!

The transverse broken white lines at the end of Triq il-Linja have been extended so much that they block part of the path of vehicles that exit from one side of Triq Sant’Anton, and wish to proceed to the other side of the same street!

The broken white transverse lines at the end of Triq ilĠonna extend beyond the mandatory Yield traffic sign by a couple of metres! The mandatory, operational traffic signs lose their purpose, if the carriageway markings are not painted adjacent to them.

The old carriageway markings – the yield signs and the transverse broken white lines – at the end of one side of Triq Sant’Anton have been erased or blackened, and new carriageway markings have been introduced a couple of metres into the junction, beyond the mandatory Yield traffic sign.

This practice is wrong and counterproductive, because it encourages drivers to go beyond the traffic signs which they are supposed to obey. In fact, most drivers ignore the new road traffic markings because they have already passed the mandatory traffic signs.

It is not known if Transport Malta supervises such work. It should, and it should be drawing the attention of contactors to the appropriate completion of such road traffic markings.

The time has come for Transport Malta to gather all the contractors who do this kind of work and educate them on the correct procedures. The Malta Automobile Club is drawing the attention of Transport Malta concerning this awkward situation.

Alfred A. Farrugia

The Malta Automobile Club