The notorious speed camera at Xemxija Hill has just been re-installed in its original position after an absence of almost a year and will start snapping photos of speeding motorists after Easter, maltastar.com reported on Friday.

The Xemxija speed camera was the first of its kind ever to be installed in Malta a few years ago. In its brief history, it has been vandalised twice and was even shot. Controversy centres on this speed camera, especially due to its strategic position at the bottom of a steep hill.

Many drivers consider the 45 kilometres per hour speed limit in this road to be “too slow”, even though it is an accident black spot that has seen quite a number of crashes.

The camera was taken down in May 2006 due to road works. Last week, it was once again placed in its original position, next to the ‘Beach Haven’ resort. Yet, this time, the camera faces uphill, not downhill, as it was previously. This has solved one objection, but may soon spark off a new one.

“We had it re-installed this week. Now we are waiting for the Local Enforcement Management Committee to issue the permits required for switching it on,” Paul Bugeja, the St Paul’s Bay mayor told maltastar, “but it will definitely be after Easter.”

Now that the speed camera is facing uphill, if you’re speeding on your way to Mellieha, or to Cirkewwa to board a Gozo ferry in time, the camera will show the rear of your car.

Yet, the main reason for changing the orientation of the camera was not data protection. The speed camera will now capture those drivers who used to slow down at the foot of the hill, and then speed up once they go beyond the camera. The camera is now placed in a way that if cars accelerate as they are going up the hill, they will be caught out.