Having just returned to Malta for a couple of weeks, having last been here in November, I discover that what was a fairly sensible public transport system seems to have been redesigned by madmen.

Residing in Qawra, I find that the bus numbers and frequencies have changed and there are no relevant timetables at the bus stops. Whereas before I could get to Sliema via route 12, which, even off peak, ran every 20 minutes, is now available every 30 minutes, even at peak time.

The last bus leaves Sliema at 10.10pm when, in the past, the last bus would depart at about 11pm. It seems the bus service has regressed to the old way of running the system: infrequent services finishing as early as they can. It is hardly the way to attract users, whether residents or tourists.

Why the secrecy over the timetables? I want to be able to go to a bus stop and find out exactly what buses stop there, what time they arrive and where they are going to.

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