On Sunday, September 11, my wife and I have had to experience the ordeal of walking four blocks to a bus stop, one of the new “limited stops” designated by Arriva, only to realise that the next new X6 (Ċirkewwa-Valletta) bus was due in an hour, and walking further to another bus stop imposed on us (near St Joseph’s Institute), in the hope of boarding one of buses 51, 52, or 53. These buses were anyway late by one hour due to the cycle pilgrimage from Rabat, and eventually we boarded the X6.

For the record, the only Arriva bus towards Valletta which passes through Birkirkara, Fleur-de-Lys and Psaila Street (i.e. from where a significant number of Birkirkara, Fleur-de-Lys and Ħamrun commuters board ) is No 125, however, I refuse to board bus 125 and alight at Ħamrun to board a second bus to Valletta. The above-mentioned repetitive ordeal can be eliminated if the original Birkirkara (L-Istazzjon)-Valletta route, which was discontinued by Arriva, is reintroduced for the benefit of the significant number of commuters, young and old, of the central towns of Birkirkara, Fleur-de-Lys, Ħamrun and Blata l-Bajda, as I have requested Arriva to consider on several previous occasions. As of today these towns are served with buses originating from distant towns (Dingli-Rabat-Mtarfa-Attard-Mellieħa-Ċirkewwa etc), and arrive crowded at our central towns bus stops.

One last point: Why after waiting a long time in an appallingly hot (in summer) bus stop/shelter, do commuters have to bear the “cold room” temperatures inside an Arriva bus (i.e. when operational)? Is it because drivers are closed in their own compartment, hence they do not realise the necessity to adjust the temperature to a “comfort zone” in the bus? If this is so, may I suggest that drivers are not “separated” from the rest of the bus area?

While acknowledging the admirable efforts by Arriva since its start last July, in spite of numerous drawbacks, may I respectfully ask managing director Keith Bastow and director Piers Marlow, whose promising statements were quoted in The Times, as well as the Arriva customer care service, to consider the above-mentioned plea (yes, even if it is only for the sake of a few hundred, why not?), and reintroduce, as soon as possible, the original bus route originating from “L-Istazzjon/B’Kara” to run towards Valletta?

Looking forward to a sensible consideration and action from Arriva in this regard.