Transport Minister Austin Gatt yesterday refused to take any questions on the new public transport system which has been dogged by disruptions.

“Not now,” the minister who spearheaded the reform told journalists repeatedly when he realised they intended asking questions about the problems experienced by commuters and operators alike since the launch of the new bus service on Sunday.

When pressed for replies, Dr Gatt criticised a journalist who, he said, had shoved a microphone in his face saying it was “the rudest thing that could be done”. He then proceeded to his car and left.

The minister has not yet commented on the events of the past two days since Arriva took over the scheduled bus service, which has been characterised by massive delays, mostly on account of the fact that 56 drivers refused to report for work over roster conditions.

Beyond the staff shortage, however, Arriva contended with buses breakdowns, a malfunction of the ticketing system and bendy buses getting stuck on routes that were meant to have been tested ahead of the changeover.

In a statement issued later in the day, the Transport Ministry said Dr Gatt did not wish to comment as Arriva was regularly briefing the press and all the facts were in the public domain.

“Asking for political judgments after a mere 72 hours of the roll-out of a system that replaces another transport system that had lasted for 30 years is much too premature,” the ministry said.

The ministry and Transport Malta’s resources were fully deployed to see that Arriva built its operation to the levels required in the shortest time possible to achieve the targets contracted for.

Commenting about the reporter who put a microphone in front of Dr Gatt, the ministry said: “The ministry will not fall into the political trap of Super One, which merely wants a sound bite for its political ends rather than to provide any relevant information to its viewers.”