Unscheduled bus service to be liberalised from tomorrow

The unscheduled bus service, which includes coaches and vans, will be liberalised as from tomorrow when new regulations will be issued in a legal notice, Transport Minister Austin Gatt announced this afternoon.

He said that the liberalisation of the mini-buses sector will see a six-year transition period, during which new entrants will be required to pay an entry fee of between €11,000 and €31,000, depending on the number of seats in their vans.

There will be no such transition period for coaches.

"We frequently receive complaints that there are not enough tourist coaches. We want the sector to be driven by the market and everyone should be free to enter the market provided standards are maintained," Dr Gatt said.

The regulations due to be issued tomorrow will include minimum standards for the vehicles and a new schedule of penalties, including a points system for infringements which could lead to an owner-driver losing his licence.

Dr Gatt said that liberalisation would also apply to tail lift vans and open top buses.

Old route buses can, in future, be licensed to operate as tour buses as long as standards are observed, he said.

When the reform of the scheduled bus service is carried out, bus drivers would not be allowed to also operate unscheduled bus services, because of the potential conflicts, he said.

He said the liberalisation process was a compromise solution after consultations with the various associations representing the sector.