In the good old days the village of Balzan was considered as one of the most peaceful on the island, renowned for its fruit gardens, pure air and a prevailing sense of ultimate relaxation. No doubt the envy of many. Alas that is now past history.

This quaint village has now finished up precisely the opposite of what it was, but the worst thing that has happened is that it is now serving as a sort of bypass for the high volume of traffic coming from surrounding areas like Iklin, Naxxar, etc, proceeding to the Mriehel bypass, but must first emerge into Birbal Street (an arterial road) which is proving to be extremely dangerous and frustrating.

Way back in 2001, I started a sort of campaign for installation of traffic lights by writing letters to the press, but the local council did not agree with my proposal after, if I recall well, some sort of scientific study. I am happy to say that various others supported my idea, even by writing to the press.

We are now in 2007 and I have once more started the ball rolling, after a number of persons asked me to again raise this issue, this time not with the council, but with my neighbours, urging them to contact their respective MPs, from both sides of the House, for support to have the traffic lights installed at Birbal Street for total control of traffic passing through Idmejda Street and emerging from Wesgha Prof. Guze Aquilina.

I hope that for such a minor project to materialise it would not be necessary to take the matter to Brussels.

Lino Callus

Balzan