The government has announced a number of changes to bus routes, cheaper parking at the Park and Ride facilities and cheaper bus fares for persons with disabilities following agreement with Arriva.

There will also be an increase in the subsidy to the bus operator and a scaling back of some evening services because of low patronage.

The changes come into force on May 27. 

The Transport Ministry said day parking at the Floriana and Pembroke Park and Ride, including transport, will cost €1.50, a reduction of 40% on current prices. 

It was agreed that Arriva would absorb, without compensation, the route changes made between July and October - changes which amounted to a million kilometres of service (the length of the extended routes multiplied by frequency) which cost  €950,000.

The route changes made in November and the new measures which come into force next month will increase the kilometres of service by another two million kilometres and therefore the subsidy to Arriva will rise from the current  €4.6 million to  €6.4 million annually - still well below the €10.4 million in subsidy to the old bus service.

Arriva is also to be given compensation of €192,000 per year for having needed to use sub-contractors after route changes were made faster than provided in its contract with the government last November. 

The principles of the subsidy agreement remain unchanged, however, and the fares have not been affected by fuel prices.

ROUTE CHANGES

There will be the following new routes/route changes as of May 27, when the summer schedule comes into force: 

New services to Valletta from:

Santa Katerina, Attard;

Swatar, Msida;

Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa;

Tal-Ħawli, Vittoriosa, Triq id-Dejma, Fgura;

Triq Santa Liberata, Kalkara;

Triq is-Salini and Triq San’Antnin, Marsascala;

Manikata, Mellieħa;

Santa Margerita, Taż-Żokrija and Mcast campus in Mosta;

Triq Ballut, Mgarr;

Vjal 21 ta’ Settembru, Naxxar;

Tal-Ħesri,  Siġġiewi;

Triq Sir Adrian Dingli, Sliema;

Triq San Anard, Tarxien; 

Ta’ Xbiex Seafront;

St Peter's, Żabbar;

Ġebel San Martin and Bulebel,  Żejtun;

Armier (summer) Wied iż-Żurrieq and Ħaġar Qim (summer).

All services to Mater Dei will stop in front of the hospital's main door. 

 

New direct services between:

Buġibba, Sliema, St Julian's and Ta' Qali Crafts Village;

Gudja, Għaxaq By-pass and Paola;

Għajn Tuffieħa and St Julian's;

Santa Margerita and taż-Żokrija, Mosta and Mater Dei;

Vjal 21 ta’ Settembru, Naxxar and Mater Dei;

San Ġwann, Gżira, Msida, Ta’ Ġiorni, St Julian's;

St Paul's Bay Centre and Sliema;

Ferries, Sliema and Dingli Street, Sliema; 

Swieqi, Sliema and St Julian's;

Munxar and the upper part of Xlendi;

Victoria Gozo and San Blas,  Nadur;

Victoria Gozo and Ta’ Ħanżira  Xewkija;

 

Shorter routes between

Vittoriosa, Senglea Cospicua, Xgħajra and Valletta;

Xgħajra, Żabbar, Fgura, Mater Dei;

 

More frequent services between:

Fleur de Lys, Birkirkara and Valletta;

Fgura and Valletta;

Mellieħa and Valletta;

Marsaxlokk and Mater Dei;

Baħrija and Rabat;

St Paul's Bay centre and Valletta;

Santa Luċija and Valletta;

Żejtun and Valletta;

Victoria and Xlendi (summer)

Victoria and Marsalforn (summer);

There will be better coordinated service between the buses and the Gozo ferries;  Special services during cruise liner calls; fewer buses going through Mrabat Street in Sliema. 

 

Reduction in certain night services

The ministry said that in order to reduce waste and save money, in view of low patronage it was decided that the frequency of a number of services would be reduced. 

Therefore frequency will be reduced to a bus every half an hour after 9 p.m.  on the following routes

• • Valletta-San Ġwann-Gżira (circular);
  • Valletta-Buġibba (via Naxxar);
  • Valletta-Gżira-San Ġwann (circular);
  • Valletta-Marsaxlokk (via Żejtun);
  • Valletta-Birżebbuġa;
  • Valletta-Marsaskala (via Żabbar).

Frequency will be reduced to a bus every hour after 8 p.m. and on Sundays between Valletta-Attard; after 9 p.m. between Pembroke-Xgħajra; after 7 p.m between Mater Dei-Valletta (via Guardamangia); Mater Dei-Birżebbuġa; Valletta-Mater Dei (via Ħamrun).

A number of duplicate connections will cease after 10 p.m. As a result services will stop early on the following routes:

Rabat-Siġġiewi fl-10pm;

Birżebbuġa-Marsaskala at 10pm;

In winter, Birgu-Marsaskala at 7pm;

Services terminating at Mater Deiat 8.30 p.m. (except services between Mater Dei and Valletta)

Airport -Rabat at 8.30pm;

In winter Mġarr-Ġnejna at 8pm;

In winter Buġibba-Għajn Tuffieħa at 8pm.

The following services will start later:

• • Mġarr-Ġnejna 9am;
  • Airport-Rabat 9am;
  • Saturdays and Sundays Buġibba-Għajn Tuffieħa  8am.