Ta' Xbiex traffic grinds to a halt as council closes road for children event

Traffic chaos gripped Ta’ Xbiex as sections of the seafront road were shut down to accommodate a child-friendly event organised by the local council, on Friday night.

Triq ix-Xatt was effectively blocked for motorists, stretching from the vicinity of Mamma Mia all the way to the square in front of the Msida parish church. 

This unexpected closure left frustrated drivers stuck in an extensive gridlock that spilled over into nearby streets, snarling traffic along the entire seafront and even reaching into Gżira and Kappara.

Photo: Facebook / Graziella Camenzuli

Social media began buzzing with reports of the traffic snarl in the afternoon, prompting numerous irate motorists to question the decision to close this vital roadway during peak traffic hours. 

While the police reported no accidents in the area, they have confirmed that the closure was due to a social event.

Earlier in the week, the Msida local council had posted on its Facebook page about a children's activity evening scheduled between 7 pm and 10 pm on Friday. 

The event's promotional material featured Transport Malta's logo, though there appeared to be no prior announcement of the road closure on Transport Malta's official social media channels.