Buses that run late and along unsatisfactory routes are commuters’ major public transportation gripes, a public consultation exercise has shown.
The first step was acknowledging that serious problems existed
The twin concerns featured in half the 3,500 submissions received by the Transport Ministry during the month-long consultation period. Concerns about drivers’ behaviour, infrequent buses and customer care services made up a further third of all complaints.
But while commuters agree that routes should be changed, there is little consensus as to how to do so, with the 31 per cent of those calling for old ATP routes to be brought back matched by an identical number who want tweaks to existing routes.
Statistics gathered from the consultation process would now form the basis of in-depth discussions with Arriva and relevant local councils on how bus services could improve, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said yesterday.
“The first step was acknowledging that serious problems existed. Now that we’ve heard from the public, we can start seeing how they can be tackled,” Mr Mizzi said.
He, however, declined to lay out a reform time frame or predict how long it would be before changes took place.
“We want things to improve as soon as possible, but the priority is ensuring things are done properly,” he said.
Bus routes to Mater Dei Hospital and the Rabat area appear especially problematic, with commuters singling them out when complaining about punctuality. Commuters who complained about infrequent buses were most likely to single out the Ċirkewwa route as being underserviced during peak hours.
There were 131 complaints about the poor condition and upkeep of buses, while for 171 complainants it was the drivers, rather than buses, which were the problem.
They complained about drivers being rude, talking on the phone while driving and not lowering wheelchair ramps or stopping to pick people up from bus stops.
A relatively small number of submissions – 63 – concerned the use of bendy buses. Of those, half wanted the buses removed from the Arriva network completely, with others calling for them to be removed from certain routes or replaced with double-deckers.
Mr Mizzi had said in Parliament last week that the Government wanted bendy buses to be gradually removed from certain routes. Pressed about that pledge, he ruled out moving the buses off the island.
Route changes
Transport Malta has made minor amendments to six bus routes. Route 13 will be extended past the Institute of Tourism Studies, St George’s Bay, while 21 will now pass through Rue D’Argens rather than Testaferrata Street en route to Sliema.
Route 106 will no longer serve Ta’ Qali or Attard’s Pitkali Road, which are already served by routes 202 and 203, and will instead include a direct service from Warda Interchange on Mdina Road to Mater Dei.
Route 82 has been extended slightly to include the Freeport roundabout, while route 124 will now also serve Senglea, linking the town to Żabbar and Marsascala.
There will also be a new route – number 237 – which will connect Paradise Bay, Għadira and Popeye Village every hour throughout the summer months.