Reference is made to the letter from Simon Bonello, president, Floriana Senior Citizens, entitled Traffic Lights in Floriana (TMID 31 January).

Mr Bonello stated that “senior citizens and persons with special needs find it very difficult to use them (subways).”

The underpasses situated under St Anne Street are easily accessible to the elderly and the mobility-impaired and have recently been refurbished and cleaned thoroughly. The refurbishing work included the plastering and rendering of all internal and external walls, the painting of all railings and existing gates, the removal of damaged wall tiles and the changing of existing ramped accesses at both ends. Moreover, there are clear signs instructing people to use the subway. It is consequently deemed unfair that Mr Bonello is shoving the responsibility on the Malta Transport Authority, should a fatal accident occur.

As previously mentioned in a statement recently issued by the authority on this particular issue, underpasses are the recommended type of “crossing” for arterial and distributor roads, especially where traffic volumes are high as in the case of St Anne Street, and are considered a safer option to pelican crossings from a traffic-safety point of view.

Mr Bonello would have been considered a greater asset to the Floriana community had he used his time and writing skills to highlight the importance of underpasses to the residents rather than encourage them to risk their lives by crossing such a busy thoroughfare

On the point of traffic delays, kindly be informed that following a traffic monitoring exercise last week it was observed that traffic entering Valletta during the morning peak was being delayed at times at the War Memorial roundabout. The blocking-back problem in the morning peak, however, seems to have subsided.

Daniela Borg Mizzi

Manager

Public Relations and Marketing

Malta Transport Authority