Arriva buses go to Ċirkewwa mainly because of the Gozo Channel ferry passengers. But does Transport Malta give enough priority to these ferry passengers since they spend about 30 minutes crossing over to Malta and vice versa?

If so, why force them to wait another half an hour or more for some of the Arriva buses to leave Ċirkewwa? Likewise, why fix the departure time of the Arriva buses in a way that passengers often arrive at Ċirkewwa just to see the Gozo ferry leaving port and so are obliged to wait 45 or more minutes for the next trip? The Gozo ferry passengers are rightly frustrated.

To reduce these unnecessary delays, it is essential that the departure and arrival times of the Arriva buses from/to Ċirkewwa be linked to the Gozo Channel timetable, which incidentally changes four times a year. Although some buses already leave Ċirkewwa a few minutes after the ferry arrives there, all Arriva routes should do so. Moreover, additional buses need to be deployed during peak times when, for example in the early mornings, buses leave Ċirkewwa with many people standing. Previously bus routes 145 and 450 were available to passengers travelling from Ċirkewwa to Mater Dei Hospital or the University and vice versa. The 450 bus departed punctually to Ċirkewwa from the terminal at the hospital (University side). But now there is only the X1 route which passes directly through these destinations.

According to the timetable the X1 bus runs mostly every hour. However it often arrives late, even 45 or more minutes, at Qroqq 3 stop at Msida.

The departure of this bus from the airport has also to be linked to the Gozo Channel ferry timetable. Monitoring by Transport Malta of the arrival of the X1 at Qroqq 3 stop at Msida is needed.

After five months’ trial, now Transport Malta and Arriva should urgently revise the Ċirkewwa bus service for the benefit of the long-suffering Gozo ferry passengers, including the foreign tourists visiting Gozo.