The subsidy given to the new public transport provider would be doubled to €23 million next year, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said yesterday.

Speaking on Times Talk, Mr Mizzi said that the €10 million subsidy previously given to Arriva was not enough for the new service that would be much broader.

Spanish transport group Autobuses Urbanos de Leon would be serving more routes than Arriva and would employ about 50 more drivers who would handle 80 new buses, Mr Mizzi said.

The Sunday Times of Malta reported in September that the subsidy was expected to increase to about €25 million.

The €23 million figure mentioned by Mr Mizzi yesterday could rise because the minister noted that it would only cover the first year of the bus service.

The Sunday Times of Malta had also reported bus fares were expected to increase.

Asked whether ticket prices would be higher as a result of the bolstered service, Mr Mizzi refused to reply, insisting they would remain “affordable” to all.

“I cannot commit on whether the ticket prices will increase or not as we are still going over the contract. I can promise that they will be affordable to all,” he said.

The minister said the contract with the Spanish provider was expected to be signed in the coming weeks and further details would be released once it was finalised.

The transport group, he said, was carefully analysing every clause of the contract to avoid any problems such as those experienced by Arriva.

Allaying fears that drivers would lose their jobs, Mr Mizzi invited holders of the special bus driving licence to apply for jobs as public transport drivers because many more were needed.