Chaos prevailed next to the Blata l-Bajda park-and-ride site yesterday as the bus terminus moved to its temporary location to make way for the carnival celebrations outside City Gate.

Commuters and annoyed bus drivers roamed Floriana streets trying to make heads and tails of the temporary arrangement, which is planned to last until March 9.

At Blata l-Bajda there were no road signs and bus drivers hooted horns in frustration.

Commuters heading for Valletta were dropped off next to the Independence monument, in Floriana, while people in Valletta who wanted to travel to another town were picked up from there and dropped off at the temporary terminus to catch the required route bus.

A number of drivers complained they had not been briefed about the new arrangements, while the allocated area lacked appropriate lighting and at times they found it impossible to manoeuvre their vehicles in the small area. The confusion delayed a number of trips.

The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts had issued a statement on Friday announcing that the Valletta bus terminus was being shifted completely to the park-and-ride site in Blata l-Bajda from yesterday.

It said buses would drop passengers off along Sarria Street, Floriana. Buses would also pick passengers from the same spot and transfer them to the temporary bus terminus from where they will be able to board a bus to their destination.