The previous public transport schedule from St Julian’s to Mater Dei Hospital and back to St Julian’s was definitely better than the current one. The buses were more frequent and their timing more dependable.
Mater Dei is a major hub of Malta’s public transport. Buses are coming to the hospital and going all over Malta all the time. Yet, when I was there a week ago, there was nobody in charge and no one to ask for information.
At the two bus stops at the hospital, most people didn’t know what to do to return to their town or village. They waited in vain for their usual bus to show up. The notice boards were no help at all and nobody could figure them out.
It took me some time to realise that, to return to St Julian’s, I had to take a bus to the University. Once I arrived there, there was no sign saying that the bus stop to St Julian’s was actually on the opposite side of the two main bus stops.
There used to be three buses from the hospital to St Julian’s. Now, there is only one. When it finally arrived after about 20 minutes, the bus stopped at Paceville. I asked the driver whether the bus would proceed to Spinola Bay and along the Sliema promenade. He answered: “In 20 minutes.” So all the passengers had to get off the bus which supposedly takes them all the way to St Julian’s.
Why did Malta Public Transport make things worse instead of better for those who want to return from Mater Dei to St Julian’s?
I think the transport minister should be held accountable for the disorganisation and deterioration of Malta’s public transport. If he had been an executive of a major business firm, he would have been fired for being incompetent after so many complaints.