Arriva Malta said today that it had asked the Transport Ministry to postpone the meeting both sides had scheduled for today in order to allow manufacturers and other experts to give more detailed feedback on the reports prepared by the Ministry and passed on to the bus company earlier this week.

The reports focused on fires on bendy buses which led to their withdrawal from th service. 

“While both sides would like to reach a conclusion as soon as possible, it is extremely important for us and for our clients that as we move forward we remain focused and do not rush into decisions. We remain dedicated to studying every detail and to deploying all our resources as a company and as a group to guarantee service levels and safety to our passengers,”  Arriva Malta said.

The ministry said on Monday that it had given Arriva 48 hours to reply to a technical report on the fires on the buses. The minister, Joe Mizzi, said he would not shirk from taking tough decisions on the basis of the report and the outcome of a Magisterial inquiry.

Informed sources said the meeting will be held next week, when a senior official of the Arriva parent company will be in Malta.

The Transport Ministry said bendy buses will remain off the roads until the matter is decided and some routes will continue to be operated by coaches of the Unscheduled Bus Service, but planned changes to the routes will still come into force.

It said it had held meetings with Transport Malta and the Education Department to ensure that school transport is not affected if the current situation persists.