Route buses still bearing the distinctive Arriva aquamarine colour are being sprayed white, in line with an agreement reached with the bus operator when it stopped its Malta operation almost a year ago.

Transport Malta acquired the Arriva buses as part of the agreement with the loss-making operator last year. One of the terms was that the Arriva colours had to be removed within a year.

The buses are now being sprayed white at a Ħal Far plant.

Some 50 buses leased and imported by Transport Malta just before the summer are also white. 

A new operator, Autobuses de Leon, is due to take over the management of the bus service in January, but the agreement has not been signed yet and legal action to stop the process has been taken by one of the unsuccessful bidders.

“Malta Public Transport is contractually required to spray the old buses to remove the colours used by Arriva,” a Transport Malta spokeswoman said. “Therefore work has started to paint the buses white, regardless of who takes over the new operation.”