I first fell in love with Malta when, as a 17-year-old seaman I entered Grand Harbour on the cruiser HMS Kenya.

The date was November 1949. Grand Harbour was full of Royal Navy ships. Malta was still suffering from the effects of bombing that had devastated Valletta during the war. However, the Maltese people were extremely likeable and went out of their way to talk to us young sailors.

Over the years, my wife and I have enjoyed holidays all over the island. I think we must have travelled in nearly every one of those lovely old route buses, the majority being lovingly maintained by their drivers.

I served for 26 years in the British police force, specialising as a traffic patrol officer and dealing with heavy goods and public service vehicles. Obviously, I have a lot of experience in dealing with speed and dangerous driving and thought I had seen just about all there is in reckless driving. Having just returned from Malta after our annual month’s holiday at Mellieħa Bay, we have made a sad decision that we will not come back again.

On January 22, we paid a visit to Valletta by bus. On the return trip, as we descended through Mellieħa village, the speed of the bus increased and became reckless as to whether other vehicles would give way to us. On the long hill down past the Luna Holiday apartments, I estimated the speed of the bus to be about 60 mph. We held on for dear life, looking forward to getting off at the bird sanctuary.

Our hopes were dashed when the driver refused to acknowledge the bells and drove non-stop to the ferry terminal.

Another male passenger and I confronted the driver. He laughed in our face thinking it was a big joke, ordered us off the bus and shut the doors leaving us four elderly people standing in the biting wind trying not to get agitated as both men suffer from heart conditions.

Not every bus that we travelled on while in Malta was driven in a reckless manner. In fact, some of the drivers went out of their way to be helpful in that traditional Maltese way.

However, something needs to be done in the case of the minority who drive their 50-seater ‘sports cars’ to the detriment of the passengers and to the good name of Malta.

Should nothing be done then I regretfully predict that a major fatality is going to happen in the not-too-distant future.

It is with regret that I must say farewell Malta and thank you.