Updated: ATP defends its position
(Adds Ministry's reaction)
The Public Transport Association (ATP) claimed this morning that bus fares would go up with the reform announced by the Transport Ministry.
In a statement replying to another issued by the ministry, the bus owners' association it said that although the ministry had denied that the reform would cost €45 million more in subsidies than at present, it was also refusing to say how much the reform would cost.
The surprise would come after the June 6 elections, it said.
The ministry said yesterday that it would proceed with the publication of a public call for offers for the operation of a scheduled bus service and the bus owners’ association could participate under the same conditions as the other bidders.
It said that the model proposed by the association for the current bus owners to continue to operate the service through cooperatives had not been accepted by the European Commission.
But the ATP insisted that this model existed in all the EU countries but the Maltese government did not want to defend the Maltese operators as other governments in Europe had done.
It denied meetings were held with it on the reform and challenged the minister to publish the minutes of such.
In a reply, the ministry said that the ATP's challenge was a ridiculous especially when members of the ATP had expressed their views on the reform publicly during a national conference on the subject. This was apart from the ATP's positions given in writing.
The truth was that the ATP's contribution to the reform was a strike, protests and partisan statements. This was instead of preparing itself and its members to compete in the tender process.
The ministry said the ATP was incorrect when it said it was being excluded from offering an unscheduled service. Prior to the reform unscheduled transport was restricted and bus drivers could not provide a service for tourists. They could now do this. But the ATP had to understand that both in scheduled and unscheduled services, the required level of service was not decided by itself but by the government in the interest of passengers.
The government insisted that the reform would be carried out and a public call for offers by who was interested in providing a service would be issued in summer.
The ATP was invited to organise itself, improve its service and compete for the contract.
It would be clear, however, that if the ATP's expectations were for a 45 million euro subside,for the fares to be accessible to all, the contract would be given to those making more competitive offers.
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h galea
May 27th 2009, 00:07
Minister GATT, I support you with the reform, you have to get rid of all inspectors, do you know where they work, at the Law Courts, mornings after mornings sitting as from 09.00 till 13.00 the best job, no worries as every thing is under their control !!!! Minister GATT get hold also of rent a car dealers. They impose on us to rent a self drive car for three days, we want a change Yes by the Hour, otherwise we take a Taxi . Liberise the market If they don't accept the unemployed at Marsa will be delighted.
R.Gauci
May 26th 2009, 23:55
A complete holistic new plan for Public Transport is needed! Its just not the case to change only bus operators!
Some suggestions I got by experience working abroad as a bus driver :
1) More bus lanes should be made available for public transport vehicles
2) Bus shelters which protect people from the weather elements and have routes and time tables visible to the public.
3)Double Decker buses on busy routes to avoid a lot of standing passengers
4)Money boxes attached to the tickets machines where the passenger puts exact fare if not he would get a refund voucher of the difference which would be refunded at a company office
5)CCTV to avoid vandalism on buses and monitor passengers and drivers behaviour
6) A maximum of 8 hrs of driving per day in which a break of 1 hr after 4 hrs for a maximum of 6 days work a week per driver .
7)A penalty points licensing system for all public drivers
8) Better wage pay per hour for drivers
9) An increase in price to make the service sustainable which passengers will be happy to pay once they get a good and punctual service
R Pace Bonello
May 26th 2009, 19:10
"...the Maltese Government did not want to defend the Maltese operators as other governments in Europe had done"
What cheek! We have a lousy, dirty, inefficient system precisely because the various governments have always defended the bus drivers to the detriment of the travelling public. All we ever hear about from the ATP is that fares have to rise and all too often have had their way. Enough is enough.
Please, please remove these poisonous vehicles and their drivers from the roads once and for all and give us a system that we would gratefully support. If done correctly there will not be any need for any increases for the simple fact that ridership will drastically increase. So lets move on.
Alfred Briffa
May 26th 2009, 17:31
How sweet are the ATP people. We have an assurance that if the reform is launched, the fare will go up!! But this is a disgrace! Bus fares should not go up! So no reform pls Austin. Let sleeping dogs lie.
ATP are guaranteeing that there will be no more fare rises. They will no longer wake up and oblige bus users of higher fares! Halluna ATP. Pack up and go enjoy your racing horses!
Francesca Abela
May 26th 2009, 17:22
So the bus fares may increase says the ATP - so what ? I am sure the majority of the commuters would not mind paying a bit more to have a properly organised transport system. No doubt the ticketing system has to be changed to enable frequent users of the bus services to have a choice to buy block tickets at a discount. The system of paying the bus drivers has to stop otherwise we will be back to square one. Hopefully goodwill will reign on all parts so that no one will ultimately suffer. Good luck to Minister Gatt and may the ATP see the writing on the wall - we have had enough now - go get organised and prepare to submit a bid. It is useless bring up old arguments - the commuters themselves can really say what kind of transport system we have been subjected to for years now.Hopefully goodwill will reign on all parts so that no one will ultimately suffer.
Charles Micallef
May 26th 2009, 16:12
Reform is the order of the day. wheather anyone likes it or not.....and rightly so as the public suffered for long enough with third world service!.
J Oatmon
May 26th 2009, 13:52
The Malta public transport fiasco has gone on too long, taxis and buses.
Everyone in Malta knows what the problems are, and how much better transport is up north in Europe - why the EU does not pussyfoot around it takes action and sorts things out.
Now at last the Malta Government has been given some backbone by the EU to change things for the better.
The Malta Government needs to tackle the 'property developer barons' who are above the law in Malta, as well as sort out the disgraceful 'MEPA fiasco' with the help of the EU.
J Farrugia
May 26th 2009, 13:25
It is now amply clear that the ATP does not want to provide a service to the Maltese commuters.Judging by their arrogant statements they are making in the media, they are on their last bites. By their half baked arguments they are just putting the last nail to their own coffin. So be it. We have had enough of them. The least we hear from them and even seeing them giving a shoddy service, the better for the whole of Malta. Many thanks for not giving the maltese people a modern transport service worthy of these times. Keep the ball rolling Minister Gatt.
John Azzopardi
May 26th 2009, 13:17
@W Spencer. Inspectors contribute zilch. They are just an extra cost that has to be recouped.
laurence schembri
May 26th 2009, 13:11
@ SCassar
The argument is not with the bus drivers, but the ATP. Don`t paint everybody with the same brush.
W Spencer
May 26th 2009, 13:00
Why are simple solutions to problems made so difficult ?
If a driver is reported for being rude, aggressive, short changing, or driving in an irresponsible manner.........then suspend him !! Two suspensions, and he must attend a Customer Care Course, more than two suspensions and he loses his Bus Drivers Licence.
Make all Bus Driver Licences be renewable each year, after sitting a Test in Customer
Care,and another Driving Test. .
Inspectors ? Its difficult to say what they actually contribute to the Bus Services.
Anthony Mercieca
May 26th 2009, 12:56
Nothing impedes bus owners to set up their company/ies and apply to run local transport. This is not a question of EU, it is the global (in local way) of providing an efficient service. If you deliver your future is guaranteed, if you fail sorry others can do it. Only drivers and bus owners can guarantee their jobs if they really rise up to provide a REAL SERVICE
J Spiteri
May 26th 2009, 12:56
The ATP did no reform during the past years, in turn we have a disastrous public transport sector. Now that the government is doing something about it, it is blocking any hope of reform. Incredible !
t mercieca
May 26th 2009, 12:40
Well, after last year's strike, who should we cary on with the same model of transport?
g. scerri
May 26th 2009, 12:21
"the model proposed by the association for the current bus owners to continue to operate the service through cooperatives had not been accepted by the European Commission." One very good reason for people to start taking European Parliamentary elections seriously.
SCassar
May 26th 2009, 12:17
how can the government defend the bus drivers when some of the are so angry at the passengers? give incorrect change, dont know how to speak in english & drive in our roads like kings of the roads?