Public transport in San Gwann

I refer to the letter by Daniela Borg Mizzi for the Malta Transport Authority (April 22, 2006) in reply to my correspondence (and that of others) regarding the bus service in San Gwann with special mention of bus No. 65.

Ms Mizzi explained that bus No. 65 is a circular route (Sliema-Rabat-Sliema); well, are not all buses in Malta circular in that they travel from Valletta to point B and back? What is so different with route No. 65? If she means that the same bus that leaves the Strand in Sliema travels to Rabat and returns straight down to Sliema, I am afraid that she must have the wrong information in this regard. On the time schedule as displayed at the Ferries, it is quite clear that buses leave every half an hour from the Strand and Rabat concurrently with the only difference that the first bus leaves Sliema at 8.30 a.m. while that from Rabat leaves at 9 a.m. However she should know that on Saturday/Sunday the first bus leaves Sliema at 9.30 a.m. and that is the reason why the first bus on that particular morning mentioned in my first letter arrived at San Gwann from Rabat at 10.40 a.m.

This particular timetable is proof enough that this service caters for tourists and not for the Maltese. Does Ms Mizzi know that the last bus leaves Rabat at 8 p.m. and Sliema at 8.30 p.m.? Does she really believe that terminating a bus service at 9 p.m. is a good service when people nowadays go out for the evening later than that time?

I remember a time years ago when San Gwann had its own bus terminal. Unfortunately, with the increase in population, instead of improving, the bus service took a turn for the worse with commuters having to wait for buses to arrive from either Rabat or Birkirkara in order to get to their destination.

And if they are going to Valletta they have to go all the way to Ta' Giorni first. Whatever happened to that bus service that operated via Kappara and got to Valletta in 20 minutes?

If the Malta Transport Authority are waiting to monitor the use of the buses to assess their usage at certain times they can wait forever as I for one will never use the public transport again before I am assured of a frequent, efficient service. It is useless knowing the time of the next bus when I know that after a certain time I will have to walk it back or take a taxi as public transport is non-existent.

Then local council members are surprised at the low turnout of voters at the last local elections! San Gwann residents have been complaining about the situation for years but they never listened.

We want an efficient, frequent and reliable bus service to our nearest locality - Sliema - if the authorities want to diminish the problem of parking and really save the environment.