The Arriva bus service for residents in the area of Independence Avenue, Mosta, has gone from bad to worse. Buses 21 and 23 used to provide us with a reasonably efficient service to and from Sliema. This service was discontinued some months ago.

Residents must now go to Mosta Square and take bus 225. A 20-minute trip has been converted into a 45-minute ordeal because of the detour via St Julian’s, apart from the inevitable waiting time.

Bus 31 was supposed to be at 10-minute intervals but it was normal to wait at least 20 minutes for a bus. Very often these were full by the time they passed by and just kept going or else two or three would turn up at the same time.

Now we’ve been informed that the service will be at 20-minute intervals at peak time and 30-minute intervals at non-peak times. Going by past experience, the waiting time is likely to be twice as long.

Is it true that this new timetable has been endorsed by the Mosta council? Is this disservice meant to discourage us from using private transport? Is this the much vaunted reform that long-suffering commuters were promised and taxpayers are subsidising? Aren’t we all being taken for a ride?