Call to liberalise bus and taxi services

Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo yesterday called for the route bus system to be liberalised so that other companies could offer to run public transport services.

Dr Vassallo said the service should be awarded by tender to provide affordable and efficient services on underserved, low volume routes.

He also blamed the high taxi prices on the taxi licensing system, adding that the government was afraid to deal with the current monopoly. Reform of the system was long overdue, he said.

Alternattiva Demokratika was also proposing regular, frequent and efficient ferry services from Sliema to Valletta and Cottonera. These would reduce traffic pressure in the inner harbour area. Trams and an underground metro system should also be considered.

Dr Vassallo said: "The advantages of an efficient system are countless: less traffic congestion, better use of public spaces in villages and towns, less fuel consumption and hence less pollution, to name but a few," he said, adding that most European cities make use of buses running on natural gas, a much cleaner option than Malta's diesel ones.

"An automatic bus ticketing system with reasonable prices for block tickets was a must," he insisted.

Referring to the recently announced public transport reform by Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett, AD transport spokesman Mark Scerri said that there have been so many "so-called reforms" over the past 18 years that it was easy to lose track, especially since past reforms had led to nothing concrete for users.