Arriva deadline moved to the Budget vote day
Arriva’s fate will be decided on December 10. Photo: Sifra Kempenaar
It is not only the Government’s fate that will be determined on Monday when a vote on the Budget will be taken – Transport Malta has decided to give its verdict on the state of Arriva’s services on the same day.
Transport Malta last month slammed the “unacceptable” service of the public transport operator and gave it until the end of November to bring it up to scratch. Otherwise, it would deploy its own buses at Arriva’s expense, the regulator had warned.
In a press release issued yesterday, Transport Malta said Arriva had promised to implement measures to address the problems and a final decision would be taken on December 10.
Transport Malta recalled that it wrote to Arriva on November 14 to say the quality of service in terms of reliability and punctuality of the 70s route group was “less than satisfactory”.
Arriva responded on November 20 acknowledging that the level of service on this route group was not meeting contracted requirements.
“Arriva undertook to take measures to address these problems including the deployment of additional bus capacity on this route group,” said Transport Malta. The full set of measures was set to take effect last Sunday, including doubling the frequency of route 73.
Transport Malta confirmed that the frequency of route 73 had been doubled but said it would be closely monitoring the performance of the entire route group this week to verify the effect of Arriva’s measures.
Meanwhile, Transport Malta has also submitted its monitoring findings on routes 82, X1 and 43 and is awaiting Arriva’s response on what measures would be taken.
Speaking to The Times yesterday, Transport Minister Austin Gatt said if the problems were not solved by the end of this week, the penalties previously mentioned would come into force first thing on Monday morning.
This new deadline happens to coincide with a Budget vote that Nationalist MP Franco Debono has pledged to vote against, which would trigger the Government’s collapse.
Ironically, it was the public transport reform that first prompted Dr Debono to start calling for Dr Gatt’s resignation. The backbencher has since vowed to vote against the Government if Dr Gatt remained in Cabinet.
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S. Azzopardi
Dec 5th 2012, 18:12
Arriva has been bad business for everyone in this country. It is time we bid them farewell and start afresh. The sooner the government realises this the better it will be perceived by the Maltese people. This isn't a matter of politics but of facts. The Maltese are FED UP with the lousy service and of CEOs trying to hide the horrible state our transport system is in since they took over.
J. Debono
Dec 5th 2012, 15:50
Commuters are still asking about whether the sms service will ever be launced. We are already 17 months down in the 120 months long contract awarded to Arriva. We also need more led time screens announcing time of arrival of next bus.
Robert Lewis
Dec 5th 2012, 15:33
Dr Gatt the public doesn't give a dam about penalties, for sure the money is not going into anybody's pockets. What the customer needs is to go from one place to another in time and without the need to wait for hours. Its very simple. This is similar as when somebody is taken to court and fined, and the victim takes FA.
Luciano Chetcuti
Dec 5th 2012, 12:03
TM note that the problem is nationwaide not just 70's routes. Stop beating about the bush and do not let ARRIVA take you for further rides and take immediate action. Why did you have to postpone for yet another 10 days? This will not solve any problem. Meta se jtiru l-irjus?
Francis Sammut
Dec 5th 2012, 12:03
Dr. Austin Gatt ought to admit that this is his and Manuel Delia's own doing. I mean it was they together with the local advisers headed by Dr. G. Sapiano (paid 200000E,) who drafted the contract for the then new routes, remember? After some months dragging their feet minister Gatt and Delia finally added the old routes, which people have been telling them all along! 'Il-buzzullotti' spiccaw jew?
Mario Scicluna
Dec 5th 2012, 11:01
'Transport Minister Austin Gatt said if the problems were not solved by the end of this week, the penalties previously mentioned would come into force first thing on Monday morning'
Really?? X'kumbinazzjoni. So we expect an official statement early Monday morning then! However, I have a feeling that the so-called 'penalties' will be announced later around 6pm or after! Hypocrites
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