This week we heard that the infamous and dangerous bendy buses that were used by Arriva for the main purpose of congesting our roads, while carrying passengers from one destination to another, have been sold to a Maltese company and will be exported to Sudan, an African country whose people have long suffered from ethnic strife, civil wars, poor human rights and ethnic cleansing.
In itself it is great news that Transport Malta managed to sell these buses, albeit at the meagre cost of a second-hand Mini per bus. Yet again, better €601,200 in our coffers than having them rust away to oblivion at Horns Ditch in Floriana.
The question does beckon here. If they were deemed so unsafe that the mayor of London chose to pull them off the streets of the English capital, and our own Transport Minister confined them to a ditch for months, how are they acceptable in Sudan?
In fairness the main reason given for their withdrawal from our roads was congestion and not safety, even though there was a time when they seemed to burst into flames for no apparent reason.
Experts who were called in to investigate clearly stated that the buses they had tested “were at ‘imminent risk’ of going up in flames”.
These buses are now on their way to Sudan!
On a separate note I welcome the news that TM has come up with a scheme to promote the use and purchase of electric vehicles in an attempt to meet the country’s national environmental targets, from climate change to improved air quality.
The scheme provides for a grant of €5,000 to those registering an electric vehicle while de-registering a car which is at least 10 years old. There are a total of €300,000 up for grabs through this scheme over the next two tears.
Now, why not take another page out of the London public transport book?
The famous London Bus has gone green and there are now some 370 diesel-electric hybrid buses operating in the English capital.
They are quieter, cleaner and more fuel-efficient, providing a 30 per cent reduction in fuel use, a 30 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide and a three decibel reduction in sound levels, compared to the conventional diesel buses.
Should the use of such buses be obligatory by the new public transport operator? Should it be imposed to have a minimum number of hybrid buses doing the rounds on our small islands, with a roll-in programme over the years?
Now that’s what I would call a good initiative in favour of the environment.
motoring@timesofmalta.com