A drive to work on a morning to Malta is a strenuous task with closures transforming the road network into a maze of diversions. If you feel like you’re going crazy, you’re not, with parliamentary figures uncovering that close to 12, 400 permits to close Maltese roads were issued in 2019.

The information, which was revealed by Local Governance Minister José Herrera following a parliamentary question from former MP Marthese Portelli, should come as no shock given the rampant overdevelopment in the country.

Unsurprisingly, it’s Sliema that towers over every other locality on the list, with a massive 2,529 road closure permits issued. In fact, the area also saw one of the largest number of permits for cranes and other lifting equipment.

Road permits are dished out by local councils and are mostly used to facilitate construction work or other heavy lifting involved with development.

It, unfortunately, fails to give an accurate depiction of events. Malta’s Traffic Police have already been revealed to have been collecting ‘protection money’ from construction firms disobeying rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, the fines for breaching a road closure permit are embarrassingly low. The fine for closing access to the road without a permit from the Local Council is just €104.82, despite the burdens it could cause on residents and commuters alike.

Are you surprised by these figures? Let us know in the comments below