Lija bus disservice

I sympathise fully with Julie Vella Clark (September 3). But there is one snag about what she said. Will there be a bus service on that day? Let us hope and pray that it would for everybody's sake. We have been promised that around that date (September 22) the bus should be running again as usual. We have been without a bus service since the end of last October.

But we residents of Lija, especially those in the part adjoining Main Street, Balzan and the vicinities will still have the route partly changed. On the return journey we will have to drag another 100 metres or more, rain or shine, just because Balzan local council decided to embellish and modify Main Street.

The bus service had been serving Lija, especially when it used to go round the village, since buses started running after the abolition of the railway. It was the Lija service that used to satisfy the needs of the Balzan residents since it had to run through Balzan anyway. Now after almost a year of disservice we still will not be served conveniently. Otherwise, one has to remain on the bus all the way up to Attard until it comes back near the post office.

Now route 40 will hardly satisfy the needs of Lija residents, except that it runs through the last bit of St Anthony Street (former Villa Ogirra) to near Percius Garage which borders Lija and were it nor for the fact that most Lija residents board the bus from the (Balzan) post office at the upper end of Main Street.

It will almost be barred from Lija if not only to drop off passengers by the tower and university residence. And, mark my words, it will have to pass from there as Main Street, Balzan is one way in the downwards direction to Valletta, once there is no alternative street. The only other alternative is to abolish the Lija service altogether, which will be a bad turn to the Lija residents who have been deprived of their service for so long. That is why a service is needed exclusively for Lija to and from Valletta.

I will not accept anyone saying that Lija is served by route 58 as it is not reliable at all times. When an official is on duty at the square all the time and the service runs then I will start to use it. When one does not need it, in the early morning, usually it passes. But if one has to wait for it at another time, 99 per cent of the time it will not turn up. And, anyway, that is only on the way to Valletta.

To add insult to injury, Lija local council asked for a circular minibus to satisfy its residents' needs. The Public Transport Authority refused the request. Hopefully, Lija council applied for an extension at least in the vicinity of the Lija windmill. Let us keep our fingers crossed that the application will be accepted.

I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned that in Lija a circular internal service is needed. Whether run as public transport, or even owned and run by the council, something is needed. It is a long stretch to Naxxar Road, either from beside the JB Stores or down near Big Ben.

Also a permanent solution is needed regarding the service to and from Valletta in Lija. If need be, the Ministry for Transport should intervene in the matter.

Yes, please help!