Only seven months after its completion, the Mtarfa bypass is showing damage and large cracks in its surface, said opposition leader Alfred Sant yesterday.

Dr Sant said it was unacceptable, especially as the work took some 91 months to complete and that cost over runs totalled Lm1 million. He said that in their 2003 election programme, the Nationalist Party said that roads would be completed without delay and that they would be of excellent quality. He said that the project was supposed to cost Lm200,000 and to be ready by 2000.

However, by the time it was completed seven years over deadline, it cost a total of Lm1.2 million.

Dr Sant said that only seven months after the rebuilt road was inaugurated and again started being used, serious cracks have started to appear. The fissures which have developed were so bad that Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett has admitted that the Malta Transport Authority was investigating and has since drawn up a maintenance programme for the road surface. He said that such occurrences confirmed that the PN was not keeping the promises it made.

Dr Sant said this was not the first time that brand new roads ended up having to be pulled up and redone. He also pointed out that after the St Paul’s Bay bypass had been reopened to the public, the part which collapsed due to illegal excavations has still not yet been repaired. He said that not counting the collapsed part, the bypass has cost Lm500,00 more than was originally budgeted.

MPs Charles Buhagiar and Noel Farrugia were also present.