Nearly half of the 36 vehicles that will be added to the existing Arriva fleet will be bendy buses that can accommodate up to 150 passengers and some will fall short of the Euro V emissions standard.
Following an agreement between the Transport Ministry, Transport Malta and Arriva, the new buses will cater for the latest changes in the routes network, which will be launched on November 6.
Commuters have greeted the news of an additional 17 bendy buses with mixed reactions. Some said these were a “godsend” as they rarely left people stranded on bus stops. However, the controversial introduction of articulated buses has also stirred criticism from those who witnessed traffic accidents and who insist bendy buses congest Maltese roads.
An Arriva Malta spokesman said the company thoroughly tested all the routes on the network to check the designated buses were adequate on many levels.
“While it is true that there have been instances where articulated buses have been caught in traffic congestions, it is worthy of note that few, if any, of these are directly attributable to the type of vehicle,” he said.
In many instances, traffic congestions and the resultant aggravations had been caused by external factors, such as illegal or double parking, he added.
Although bendy buses have also been criticised in London as allegedly leading to traffic accidents, a report published earlier this month about the gradual demise of such buses by December 11 highlighted mixed reactions.
BBC transport correspondent Tom Edwards said that while some bendy buses ended up in Leicester and Malta, “not everyone is happy to see them go” because this could result in fewer seats on certain routes.
The Arriva Malta spokesman said that because of their higher carrying capacity, bendy buses would “help more commuters get to their destinations in more comfort and on time by reducing those instances where passengers are not able to board a bus because the vehicle is full”.
The Transport Ministry said the increase in the number of buses should also meet the demand on popular routes during morning rush hours. Eight buses will join the fleet on Monday and the rest will be introduced gradually until the end of November. The operators will also commission contractors to support the service on some of the new routes. Nineteen of the 36 buses will be 12 metres long and will be able to take up to 70 passengers each.
The ministry said that for the increase to be implemented without delay the government was also temporarily suspending the aesthetic and equipment requirements, including air conditioning on some buses. However, all specifications will be met by May.
Some engines will range between Euro III and IV instead of Euro V, which is the fleet’s standard. Transport Malta and Arriva are discussing measures that would grant buses priority on Maltese roads as traffic congestion was causing schedule difficulties.
Labour transport spokesman Joseph Sammut said after the most expensive public transport reform failed, the government was insulting everybody when it unilaterally decided that the public would have to make do with environmentally-unfriendly vehicles not equipped as promised.
The public transport saga continued, he said, and not only were Maltese consumers not getting a better service but they were going to be provided with an inferior service for the same price.