(Adds routes of emergency bus service)
The government will provide an emergency bus service from tomorrow, with routes from 13 destinations to Valletta, Transport Minister Austin Gatt told a press conference this afternoon.
He said the government would also provide a service of ferries between Sliema and Valletta while chauffeur-driven cars would be allowed to act as taxis for a charge of €15 per trip.
Dr Gatt said the transport workers had a right to strike, but no one had a right to disrupt other people’s lives. Incidents such as those witnessed today, including the blocking of roads and incidents involving white mini vans, as well as the clash outside Castille were unacceptable.
When he spoke on the background which led to this dispute, Dr Gatt said he had gone to Cabinet about the liberalisation of licences for hearses after talks with the association representing the owners of hearses, where no agreement was reached.
He was, however, surprised by the industrial action taking by the owners of mini-buses. Taxis and route buses. The liberalisation of mini-buses and taxis had not featured in the government plans. And as for the buses, he had already had talks with the president of the Bus Owners’ Association, Victor Spiteri in view of EU requirements.
He explained that the EU had presented three alternatives – a service run by SMEs, a state-run service, or a service awarded after an international tender. The government had originally opted for the former in association with the Public Transport Association, but the EU had rejected that, viewing it as a way to circumvent directives. Dr Gatt said the government had committed itself to present proposals to the association by the end of summer. Yet Mr Spiteri told him today he did not trust him, Dr Gatt said.
The minister stressed that the government was in favour of liberalisation wherever it benefited the country and consumers.
He said that since 1999 the government had subsidized the bus service to the tune €41 million since 1999.
The routes of the emergency bus service will be the following:
Route A Cottonera
Route B Żabbar/M’Scala
Route C B’Buġia, Zejtun, Gudja, Għaxaq
Route D Żurrieq, Safi, Kirkop, Qrendi, Mqabba
Route E Żebbuġ, Siggiewi, Qormi
Route F Attard, Rabat, Mtarfa, Dingli
Route G B’Kara, Balzan, Lija
Route H Mosta, Naxxar, Għargħur
Route I St Paul’s Bay, Ċirkewwa
Route J Gzira, Sliema, St Julians
Route K Mater Dei
Route L Buġibba, Qawra