Bus service strike averted at eleventh hour

A planned suspension of the bus service to and from Mater Dei Hospital today was called off after the Public Transport Association yesterday received €600,000 of the €1.5 million the government owed.

The indefinite strike on the hospital route would have caused havoc and immense difficulties for people visiting patients or calling for appointments. The warning of strike action came on Tuesday when the PTA said it could not continue waiting for the payment.

Association president Victor Spiteri said he could not understand why the government had allowed the situation to reach such a point.

The PTA had no option but to put its foot down because the expense to run the hospital service was being borne by the association through a bank overdraft.

Had the amount not been paid, the wages of its 430 drivers and 100 staff members could not be paid next week.

Mr Spiteri said the association now had a written commitment that talks on the remaining balance would be completed by the end of this month.

The money owed to the PTA dates back to 2008 and 2009 for the hospital route service.