Commuters in tourist areas where the population increases exponentially at this time of year are being served with route buses still running on the winter schedule.

As a result, bus users are facing long waiting times in the sweltering summer heat in seaside locations like Għadira Bay, Sliema, St Julian’s and Buġibba.

A notice on a stop to catch a bus to Armier Bay advises the service is still not operational. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Confusion also reigns on a number of routes that operate exclusively in summer, like route 37 to Armier Bay. No schedule is affixed to the bus stop, only a note saying the service is suspended for the winter. However, a minibus was recently seen dropping passengers off at various times of the day.

Two elderly Mellieħa residents recounted their ordeal after being left stranded in Buġibba while trying to catch a bus back home at about 11pm. To their dismay, they were told that the bus service had stopped an hour before as it was still operating on the winter schedule.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi replying to a parliamentary question yesterday confirmed the buses were still on their winter schedule but said frequency had been increased on some routes.

The summer schedule was supposed to begin on June 23 but its introduction was repeatedly postponed due to a dispute on working conditions between the General Workers’ Unions and Malta Public Transport Services, which runs the bus service.