Adverts promoting public transport are the order of the day on radio and TV stations. They speak about increases in the number of buses, in routes, etc.

But complaints continue to pour in because the ordinary citizen is not being offered the service s/he deserves. The taxpayer rightly expects an efficient service. It’s useless urging people to use public transport when the service does not meet the requirements.

Waiting on a bus stop in Mosta (this happened to me last Wednesday) for 45 minutes and more is too much. This is aggravated by the fact that six buses did not stop because they were all full up. I am sure this is not an isolated case. Mosta commuters are fed up with such a situation.

Buses coming from the north of the island – from Ċirkewwa and Buġibba – are often loaded with tourists and the locals are left waiting on bus stops come rain or shine as there is no place for them.

Something must be done to alleviate the situation, including, for example, ensuring that buses leave destinations empty every 30 minutes or so.

One thing I would like to ask Transport Malta is: are the buses still expected to stop by the pavement, thus making it easier for elderly people to board?

And, while on the subject of elderly people, whose responsibility is it to see that the seats on the bus marked for elderly passengers are occupied by them and not by others? As far as I know, the driver has a camera which enables him/her to keep a lookout on what is going on.

These suggestions have been put forward many times but it appears that Transport Malta keeps turning a deaf ear to the taxpayer’s plea.