TRUTH IS OF NO COLOUR WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT
SUNDAY • 9 JULY 2023 • ISSUE 1236 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY
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MaltaToday
The devastating impact
of the uncontrolled
population growth of
the Oriental Hornet
PAGE 12
Honeybee at risk
BILL 28
maltatoday
Buses packed
like sardines
Children from
affluent families
have better reading
skills, study reveals
International PIRLS survey reveals
class divide in educational attainment
• Independent schools obtain best
reading scores when compared to less
elitist State and church schools • Malta's
better ranking attributed to change
in test language from Maltese to the
student's preferred language
PAGE 4
JAMES DEBONO
BUSES departing from tourist
localities are getting precarious-
ly overcrowded this summer,
which is the first one since the
introduction of free public trans-
port last September.
The problem exacerbated by the
increase in population and record
tourist arrival figures, has still not
reached a tipping point but judg-
ing from feedback from commut-
ers and stakeholders, frustration at
over-crowding, is growing.
A Transport Ministry official
confirmed that the number of pas-
senger trips has not only returned
to pre-pandemic levels but is "now
even surpassing the record levels
achieved in 2019".
The authority confirmed that 17
bus routes require additional ca-
pacity and four have already been
addressed. Measures to address
overcrowding issues on the other
13 routes will follow suit in the
coming weeks.
LARA DIMITRIJEVIC
says Malta is worse
than Saudi Arabia
when it comes to
abortion
INTERVIEW MT2
SEE FEATURE PAGES 13-15
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