Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Minister Austin Gatt issued directives to the Water Services Corporation and Enemalta Corporation in line with a new national policy that will regulate “all type of intervention on the local road network”.
The directives were sent in writing to the two corporations on 2 December, but were only published through the Department of Information yesterday.
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The national policy, which is currently being drawn up, should ensure better coordination and a higher quality level when road trenching works and road reinstatement works are carried out.
For the same purpose, a Quality Assurance Unit within the Network Infrastructure Department of the Malta Transport Authority has been set up.
Thus, with immediate effect, no trenching works are to be carried out by the two named corporations prior to obtaining approval of the Network Infrastructure Department; however, a procedure to cover emergency cases is to be agreed.
As from 1 January 2009, all trenching works and subsequent road reinstatement required to be undertaken by the Water Service Corporation and Enemalta Corporation are to be contracted out by the Network Infrastructure Division on behalf and at the cost of the corporation requiring them.
This should ensure that road interventions “are carried out safely, efficiently and to high quality standards,” while causing the least inconvenience possible. Meanwhile, “better coordination, cooperation and communication between the Malta Transport Authority and utility providers” should be promoted while “cost effectiveness and the minimisation of future interventions” on the same roads is ensured.
Furthermore, a detailed policy document with the aim of regulating all road interventions is being drawn up, the minister said.
“Consistency and attention to standards and quality” should also be ensured when trenching works are being undertaken. Lack of attention was observed especially when re-surfacing works were being undertaken by corporations with certain contractors who consistently delivered low quality work. Supervision to ensure quality was rare, the document added.
The minister also pointed out that a number of meetings at a technical level had been carried out between the Network Infrastructure Directorate and representatives of the two corporations.