Editorial

There was a time, within the living memory of anybody over 40, when Malta's bus service was more colourful, literally, than it is today. During the 1970s, all buses were painted green and, later, the present colour scheme was introduced. Sadly, many believed, a picturesque era in the history of the country's transport system came to an end.

A number of the buses that were operating during the colourful period are still, somehow, on the road. That, at least, is the impression they give to those who use public transport. An effort is being made to replace these archaic survivors. The government subsidised the purchase of new buses to replace what had become, and in some cases still remains, a decrepit form of transport.

The move from the ancient to the modern is, annoyingly for commuters, taking its time. Points raised in September in the wake of an EU directive - Public Transport Services By Rail And By Road - which banned subsidies and called for the liberalisation of public transport services as far as this was possible - remain valid. Malta opposed parts of the directive and four other countries, including Luxembourg, abstained from voting.

There has been some improvement in the transport system but the country is still light years away from having one that is truly oriented ad majorem commoditatem populi. With a few exceptions, town-to-town and village-to-village connections still do not exist. Some buses should not be on the road at all. The Public Transport Association (PTA) has not seen to it, as it should, that every bus on the road is washed down and cleaned before it offers its service to commuters and the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) seems to have done little, if anything, about this.

Nor has the ADT done much about the present licensing set-up, which, Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo said recently, created an "artificial monopoly" that ought to be brought to an end. Artificial or not, this monopoly has come under the beady eyes of Brussels. This is good because it serves psychological notice, at least, on the current providers of a service for which few have a good word to say.

Nor will there be one until breakthroughs are achieved in changing the mindset of the bus owners/drivers, the provision of a more comprehensive service, the manner and conduct of its operations (scheduled times of departure and arrivals at a destination, drivers who need to learn that their customers pay for their service and demand courtesy, never mind the sense of feeling safe on their bus) and until there is generally less chaos at the central terminal in Valletta.

Sooner or later the bus owners will be demanding an increase in fares or an increase in subsidies. There has been little indication of what progress has been made since the last contre temp between the PTA and the government. As happened in the past, one would not be surprised if, suddenly, the PTA registers an industrial dispute and threatens to withdraw its service.

The main drawback it faces is that the public remains unimpressed by the service in general. It is evident that when a service works, the public will use it, as is happening with the Park and Ride system.

Be that as it may, the government owes it to the same public to give a detailed plan of how it intends to improve public transport and why little or no amelioration is taking place.