Members of the public as well as local councillors have criticised the removal of two landmark trees in Triq il-Wied in Balzan that are set to be removed next week as part of a road regeneration project.

“As a councillor I objected to their uprooting,” said Daniel Muscat, in an online post. “I proposed that the trees should serve as a central strip, especially since part of the nearby car park will be expropriated. However, I was told that parkings will be lost and lane would be unsafe for residents. Hopefully we will manage to relocate them in another area of Balzan, and I am working to make sure other trees are re-planted in Balzan valley to make up for this loss.”

The two large trees in the middle of Triq il-Wied in Ħal Balzan are to be removed so the government can redo the entire road at a cost of more than €1.5 million. The works will begin next week, will go until September, and feature up to 1.2 kilometres of new pavement.

Minister for Infrastructure Ian Borg announced this plan while calling the road “one of the worst roads in Malta”. He said that while the road is under the remit of the local council, the government had stepped in to help as the cost of the roadworks will come to about five times the annual budget of the council.

Some people were welcoming of the restructuring

While others called out the proposed works

What do you think should happen to the two trees in Triq il-Wied?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]