Stephanie Jean Coppini, Għarb
Gozitans and Arriva
How much longer do we, students and workers from Gozo who use public transport and commute daily to Malta early in the morning, have to suffer because of the lack of coordination between the ferries and Arriva?
It is not uncommon for us to have to wait for about 20 minutes or more at Ċirkewwa for a bus to take us to our destination.
It is surely very unpleasant having to wait in the open and exposed to the elements, especially in this cold and rainy season, for a bus to arrive. No one risks waiting under the temporary shelter, provided in lieu of a terminal, for fear of missing the bus and, as a result, having to wait even longer.
The buses are often seen leaving Ċirkewwa, evidently without any passengers, just as the boat is approaching the pier. We did not have these problems before Arriva’s takeover.
May the task force lately appointed by the Prime Minister to see to commuters’ complaints about the service being provided by Arriva urgently take note of our predicament.
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A Caruana
Feb 8th, 21:34
May the task force lately appointed by the Prime Minister to see to commuters’ complaints about the service being provided by Arriva urgently take note of our predicament. Ditto Likewise residents of the siberia jerma area in Marsascala are wondering what has become of the so called task force - is it active or was it just whitewash to shut people up??
Francis Sammut
Feb 8th, 20:57
Why may I ask there are all these complaints about the bus service? Didn't the minister say that the new transport bus service was to usher in a new era and that it was too avant-garde for us poor mortals to appreciate fully?!
Simone Falzon
Feb 8th, 19:14
This is so true !! Arriva buses leave empty as the ferry is arriving.I remember old buses arriving on time for the ferry and leaving full of ferry passengers. !! I had once asked one of the Arriva employee about buses being on time with ferry schedule and he answered " le ta ,ahna kumpanija separata m'ghandniex x'naqsmu mal-vapur t"ghawdex ghandna l-ischedule taghna" Who else apart from Ferry passengers will take a bus from Cirkewa???
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 8th, 17:11
Did somebody say recebtly on TV that Arriva is now a success?
Mr l. theuma
Feb 8th, 17:08
Such shortcomings happen only when a country is run by madmen. Since times immemorial in my life, the busses' departure from Cirkewa was always syncronized with the ship's arrival.
fred fellon
Feb 8th, 17:01
In Gozo we had busses that worked and I must say were usually on time, I still to this day don't understand why they took something old that still worked superbly and replaced it with something that is hardly ever on time and from what I hear they are always being worked on at the yard, it's the same with the PN administration but in reverse.
Joseph Calleja
Feb 8th, 16:47
The man said "The buck stops here". but unfortunately the buck is still getting past him. Stephanie you are talking about Arriva and the immortal Transport Malta. You are asking for the impossible, it makes to much sense and I don't think either party has the ability to figure that one out. But hang in there, maybe one of these days the man will be able to stop the buck and get it together.
Janet Bayes
Feb 8th, 13:19
Stephanie I beg to differ that it didnt happen before the arriva take over - - but do agree that there isnt a bus when the fery pulls in and passengers disembark.
It does not just affect students either - - - its also the same for us mere mortals.
joe micallef
Feb 8th, 19:34
I agree wholly with Janet's comments...........the old system was just as bad and worse as there existed no time table to keep with nor a service befitting mortals.
But I do agree and support Stephanie in her frustration on not finding a bus when the ferry docks at Cirkewwa.
However the Gozo Channel is also contributing to the disservice by departing Mgarr later than scheduled by some 10 minutes or more
Transport Malta/Gozo Channel/Austin Gatt please read our complaints and offer a remedy
It only takes a couple of days monitoring the situation at the Cirkewwa terminus to understand the causes for which remedies exists
John Azzopoardi
Feb 8th, 11:34
The ferries are usually on time. So it's up to the buses to be there on time. If this is a one time incident, then it's not a big deal, but if it happens a few times a week, then its a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
James McIntosh
Feb 8th, 11:21
This could be sooo easily solved. Over to you Mr Minister for Transport.
Rod Enderby
Feb 8th, 18:29
The Minister is not standing for re-election so he won't do anything! He doesn't need to.!!