[WATCH] Metro study finalised, Transport Minister Ian Borg says

A study on the feasibility of a metro system has been concluded, Transport Minister Ian Borg said.

However, Borg, who was speaking on TVM’s Xtra on Thursday, did not give details.

“I have no hesitation opening up a debate on the matter but I am sure that it would spark resistance from the usual suspects,” he said.

Borg said that in the past three years, 750 roads were built, including 250 rural roads, as part of the yearly €100 million expenditure on roads as promised in the electoral manifesto.

The minister confronted Nationalist Party spokesperson Toni Bezzina whether the Opposition was against the Central Link project, which was supported by the majority of commuters.

Bezzina criticised the government for issuing direct orders, making reference to a €12 million direct order for the cleaning of tunnels.

Borg denied this was a direct order and said that Bezzina should know better because the tender was awarded through a negotiated procedure.

Graffitti spokesperson Andre Callus hit out at Borg, criticising him and Infrastructure Malta CEO Fredrick Azzopardi for ignoring people and the environment.

Borg said that he respected Graffitti and appreciated their consistency but disagreed that Infrastructure Malta was not respecting people and the environment.

Improvements to the road infrastructure had reduced the time people spend in cars, cut pollution and raised standards, Borg insisted.