Containers serving as bus shelters

Zebbug children waiting for the school bus on a rainy day will have to shelter inside a container set up by the local council in the absence of permits for proper bus shelters.

This has raised concern among some residents, who do not deem it fit for children to wait for school transport in this manner.

Asked for her reaction, Children's Commissioner Sonia Camilleri said she seriously hoped this was only a temporary measure until proper shelters were installed.

Zebbug mayor Brian Bonnici said three containers were placed in the locality after the council was not granted a permit to put up bus shelters.

However, a Malta Transport Authority official said the authority had not objected to the bus shelters, as long as they were approved by the Local Councils Association.

The association has an agreement with a private firm to provide such shelters.

But Local Councils Association president Michael Cohen said that since the shelters were not on a bus route and would only be used by students, it was not the association's responsibility.

The local council's original application was filed at Mepa.

Sources told The Times that different authorities and government bodies were looking into the matter to ensure that the obstruction was removed.

When contacted, Mr Bonnici said the council had rented the three containers at a cost of Lm9 a day. They will be removed once permits for the shelters were issued, he said.