Buses that never seem to get there on time

For 30 years I have enjoyed the privately-owned yellow buses, their drivers and their idiosyncrasies. Then came Arriva.

For the last two mornings I have aimed to catch the 41 bus from Mosta to Mellieħa at 9.50 a.m. On neither occasion did the bus arrive. The next scheduled bus duly arrived at 10.20 a.m. full to the rafters but on each occasion I was admitted.

However, my sympathies go to the other would-be passengers between Mosta and Mellieħa who were left standing at the bus stops as we ignored their requests to join the bus. As a tourist I feel for those people who obviously were trying to get to the beach or to Gozo with their children. According to the schedule there are six buses an hour from Mosta to Buġibba, most of which are sparsely used, probably due to their frequency. It would seem to make far more sense to reduce the 31 service even by one bus per hour and use that bus on the 41 route, which, in theory, only runs two buses per hour.

Malta being a member of the EU it presumably abides by its laws concerning discrimination. Why, therefore, is the tourist being discriminated against by having to pay double the locals’ fare?

Malta wants tourism but...