Swieqi residents have complained that they are often left with only one way to access their properties, despite repeated promises that the situation will be improved.

Residents told Times of Malta they are forced to detour round St Julian's and San Ġwann to reach the rest of Swieqi while being left completely without vehicular access when their one access road, Triq il-Mensija, is closed.

Triq Josef Kalleja residents told the newspaper that despite their road being in Swieqi, they no longer have direct access to the locality after works began more than two years ago to turn a former dirt track at the top of the street that used to provide secondary access into stairs.

Some of them said it would have been better if, instead of the stairs, which are now almost finished, an access road was made available. 

A spokesperson for Infrastructure Malta told the newspaper the agency was "in discussion" with the council after the latter filed an application to change the schemed stairs into a road, adding the agency was "committed to assist" should the application be approved.

Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat told The Times he understood the residents' frustration and agreed with them "100 per cent," but said he was waiting for the notary acting on behalf of the council to submit the relevant paperwork to the Planning Authority (PA).

A spokesperson for the PA confirmed it had asked the council and notary to submit documents confirming ownership of the land before the application could be validated.

Photo: Times of Malta