Transport Malta said today that Arriva had improved services on a number of bus routes, but monitoring would continue. It has also complained about services on a number other routes.
In a statement, Transport Malta recalled that two weeks ago it complained to Arriva about the low levels of reliability and punctuality of the 70s route group (71: Valletta-Zurrieq; 72: Valletta-Qrendi; 73: Valletta-Bubaqra)
It had warned Arriva that should it fail to upgrade its level of service to an acceptable level, it would have no choice but to deploy extra resources to supplement the transport service at the expense of Arriva itself.
On November 20 Arriva acknowled the fact that the levels of service on the 70s route group in terms of reliability and punctuality were not meeting contracted requirements. It undertook to take measures to address these problems including the deployment of additional bus capacity on this route group. Arriva also informed Transport Malta that the full set of measures would take effect by December 2.
Arriva also unilaterally undertook to double the frequency of route 73 (from 60 to 30 minute frequency) as of December 2, Transport Malta said.
"Since yesterday, Monday 3rd December, Transport Malta has been closely monitoring performance on the 70s to verify the effect of the measures adopted by Arriva. This monitoring will remain in place throughout the week," Transport Malts aid. It would then decide whether to deploy extra capacity on this route group as of December 10.
Transport Malta said it could confirm that Arriva had doubled the frequency of route 73 which in addition to Bubaqra, also serves Zurrieq and St Vincent de Paule hospital.
Transport Malta said it had also monitored routes 82 (Valletta-Birzebbuga); X1 (Cirkewwa-Ajruport); and 43 (Valletta-Naxxar). It handed its findings to Arriva and is awaiting its replies on how it intends to bring these routes to the contractually required levels.
TM said it would continue on its monitoring programme throughout the route network to ensure the operator's compliance with the contracted requirements of reliability and punctuality.