After reading the article on the front page about half the elderly having high blood pressure, I set off from San Ġwann to meet a friend in Sliema and then head to Golden Bay for a relaxing morning.

The bus arrived 25 minutes late due, according to the driver, to the traffic and it was so full when it did arrive that it was standing room only.

A young student from Switzerland was with me and was worried she would get to school late. Apparently, the bus service in Switzerland is far superior.

We waited for another 40 minutes for the bus to Golden Bay at the bus stop outside the Preluna, on which stood a crane and other heavy machinery, making it necessary to stand on the road.

When the bus did arrive it was very full but we managed to find a seat and crawled all the way to Mġarr.

As most elderly people are reliant on the buses, I would suggest that the prevalent high blood pressure is more due to the bad bus service and the amount of traffic on the roads. What started out to be a relaxing morning became quite exhausting so that we were glad to reach home.

We desperately need a better bus service to serve the route to Sliema from San Ġwann. Come Easter, it will become a nightmare considering the number of tourists and students using the service.

I would like to commend the driver who would not set off until an elderly lady sat down, despite her protestations.