The government is committed to ensure a high standard of work on all roads, including those that fall under the responsibility of local councils, said Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett yesterday.

Mr Mugliett expressed concern over the low-quality of patching up on some roads that are being seen to by certain local councils. He said the central government might need to re-assign work on such roads that are not up to standard.

The minister was speaking during a visit to Luqa, where work is being carried out on four of the eight residential roads that are included in the programme for the construction of residential roads for the period 2006-2008.

He said the government has re-assigned work on one of the roads, Triq Guzeppi Ellul, which will be reconstructed because the work carried out on this road by the Luqa council was not up to

standard.

The council spent Lm9,000 to resurface part of the road, but the work was done so badly that water could not drain off properly, said Mr Mugliett, adding that the council was well aware that this road was included in the central government’s programme, published last August.

Mr Mugliett said the government was committed to complete the work on these roads during the coming months.

While Misrah iz-Zghazagh and part of Triq Guzeppi Saliba were completed a few weeks ago, Triq Ganni Vassallo, Triq l-Ekru and Triq Guzeppi Micallef, were expected to be ready by the end of the month.

The government is spending Lm70,000 for the complete reconstruction of these four roads, with the work including new water culverts, new pavements and resurfacing.

Minister Mugliett said these roads fell under a period contract that was awarded by the government last December, while the four other roads – Triq Patri Indri Schembri, Triq Sebastjanu Saliba, Triq Pietru Saliba and Triq Guzeppi Ellul – will also be completed by way of a period contract.

Luqa is one of the localities that is benefiting from heavy investment by the government, which is committed to improve the quality of all the country’s roads.

The minister said Luqa also formed part of the largest roads project – that carried out under the Italian Protocol.

This project had a positive effect on Luqa residents, on owners of commercial outlets, and particularly on those living and working in Qormi Road, since there was now also a service road separating the built-up area from the main road.

Mr Mugliett made reference to the work carried out on Civil Aviation Avenue and said that the next big project being planned in the area will be the reconstruction of Council of Europe Road. The road is to be widened by three metres to give it two full-width carriageways along each direction, with the intention of improving traffic flow.

The project will be financed by EU cohesion funds and will include the landscaping of the whole area, said Mr Mugliett.