Installation of bus shelters

Reference is made to the letter entitled Bus Shelters (July 20). The Malta Transport Authority wishes to clarify that:

The ADT is only responsible for identifying the sites for bus shelters and bus stops on arterial and distributor roads. The submitting of the necessary planning applications for the installation of such at Mepa falls under the responsibility of the contractor. In the case of non arterial and distributor roads, the local council identifies the site for the bus shelter and asks the contractor to submit a planning application at Mepa.

The actual installation of the bus shelters is carried out by a private contractor engaged by the Local Council Association.

The agreement signed between the Local Council Association and the private contractor allows for the display of bus timetables not on the shelter itself (the glass paneling) but adjacent to the bus shelter on an aluminium profile/frame.

In October of last year, the ADT had completed the timetables and submitted them to the contractor as per specifications submitted by the contractor himself. It transpired that the aluminium frames imported by the same contractor had to be re-sent abroad because the dimensions were incorrect.

In its capacity as regulator of the public transport service, ADT has been striving to improve the service and is in the throes of finalising reforms in this sector which broadly deal with legal, operational and quality aspects of the bus service covering the following areas:

Contract for performance of and compensation for public service obligations in the bus service network.

Bus service infrastructure.

Bus replacement policy and bus fleet review.

Network improvements.

Use of technology to improve bus service regularity and reliability.

To conclude, with regard to bus drivers' behaviour, the ADT takes the necessary disciplinary and/or legal action against public transport drivers reported for misconduct. Commuters are encouraged to place reports on Freephone 80072393.