The much needed reform in the public bus service is finally on the home stretch. The authorities have again turned to international consultants for advice. Halcrow Group Ltd believes the current fleet of 508 should be reduced to 270 buses with Euro 3 spec engines, and should be operated by a single franchise operator with a centralised service hub.
Operationally, they suggested a complete overhaul of the current schedule and fleet utilisation, as well as the intro- duction of new 'direct line' services and the creation of multi-hubs across the island.
There was also a suggestion to utilise different sized vehicles according to their operational routes and that articulated buses (the famous London 'bendy-buses' that have been scrapped prematurely because statistics show they cause 75 per cent more accidents and are not pedestrian, cyclist- and motorcyclist-friendly at all) would be put into operation. First question: did we need to engage a foreign consulting company to come up with these solutions?
The transition from privately-owned buses to a single franchise owner will be dealt with by the competent authorities. What the public is interested in are service, cost of use and sustainable eco-friendly vehicles.
The British capital does offer us an example to follow in the form of the famous London black cabs. The taxi fleet in London today is modern, runs mostly on a mix of bio and fossil fuel, has most of the mechanical and technical aspects of modern cars, but has intrinsically remained unchanged in shape and form. I would have spent the money used to pay the consulting firm to engage foreign bus builders to come up with a technologically advanced vehicle which maintains as much of the beloved Malta bus look as possible.
After all, it has been a focal tourist 'attraction' for decades and it would maintain our proud identity in having something unique to Malta. The chrome grills, hubcaps and trimmings, hand-painted tberfil and patron saint glorification... that's folklore.
Forget Euro 3, that's history; go for Euro 5, which is current and eco-friendly. Specifications should also include 40/50-seat passenger vehicles, full air-suspension and low floor, telescopic loading ramps for wheelchairs, climate control and run on bio-fuel. Give us a modern day retro-look xarabank please!