Bus owners to consider withdrawing action

The Public Transport Association is meeting this evening to consider withdrawing its industrial action over its demand for better compensation for bus owners.

Association president Victor Spiteri said yesterday the association had contacted the prime minister who promised to meet the association on his return from Brussels - as long as the actions were withdrawn.

The committee, Mr Spiteri said, was to propose withdrawing the action, which continued yesterday. Buses are stopping services at 6 p.m. instead of at 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, the association has accused the Malta Transport Authority of delaying decisions on improving the service and called for "serious discussions with realistic aims and timeframes".

In a letter to the authority, a copy of which was seen by The Times, the association recalled it had presented a comprehensive plan to improve public transport and was ready to implement it straight away.

The authority had been so impressed by the plan that it could not believe the bus owners were ready to implement it, the association added.

"Your continued procrastination over its implementation is scandalous," the association said, adding that the December 2003 deadline given by the authority for the conclusion of talks had been moved back repeatedly for no good reason. The government is insisting that a fare increase requested by the bus owners cannot be negotiated unless accompanied by a comprehensive reform to the service.

In its letter, the association said it was ready to discuss improving the service at the same time as discussing its demand for higher compensation but was not prepared to have the raise make good for cost-of-living increases incurred over the past six years.

The association also rejected suggestions by the authority over the payment of arrears due to bus owners and for the reduction of bus permits from the current 508 to 300.