Transport Minister Austin Gatt revealed this evening that he had expressed his disappointment about the bus service directly to the UK-based CEO of Arriva Malta's mother company.

Speaking to PBS journalist Reno Bugeja on Dissett this evening, the minister said:

"This was always going to be difficult, but even I did not think it would be so difficult. Things were complicated by the fact that 10 per cent of the drivers did not show up. But I expected Arriva to be on top of certain things."

The minister said that the biggest problems were in Floriana and Valletta. He claimed that the system was working perfectly in Gozo and was operating smoothly in Marsa and Cirkewwa.

He expressed disappointment that the IT system did not work on the first day and said it should have been tested better.

The minister said when asked he has almost started to suspect that the drivers who did not show up for work did so purposely to harm the system.

Practically all were from the old system and most had been trained on the bendy buses, he said.

The minister said that although, undoubtedly, a penalty would be imposed on Arriva if the system did not improve, he would only be satisfied when the system worked.

Dr Gatt reiterated that he would not be seeking re-election.