The new bus service operator will be in place in January, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi has revealed.

January will be exactly one year since a government company temporarily took over the bus service as Arriva backed out.

The government is currently holding talks with a Spanish company and earlier yesterday Mr Mizzi said progress was being made and he would give more details in the coming weeks.

But on the TV programme Reporter later, Mr Mizzi said the new bus operator will be in place in January.

He said he was confident that more people would shift from the use of their cars to buses.

That, he said, was one of the measurers that were needed to reduce the number of cars on the roads.

Other measures included improvements to the infrastructure and promoting other means of transport, such as sea links.

The current number of vehicles on the road was clearly unsustainable and if the measures he had mentioned did not work, he would not shirk from taking other measures, Mr Mizzi said.

Asked for additional details during a press conference this morning, Mr Mizzi said the ticket-buying system would need to be changed.

Passengers will be financially discouraged from buying tickets directly from the bus drivers on board buses while being incentivised to purchase their tickets beforehand.

The system will also be modified to include travel cards.