Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/248536
9 News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 JANUARY 2014 New bus routes: Mixed reactions from mayors ating on an hourly basis. Much more positive was the recognition of Qormi mayor Rosianne Cutajar. "Qormi was badly served by Arriva because we lacked a specific route leaving from Qormi." This meant that buses coming from other localities only served Qormi. She also expressed her satisfaction at the way the consultation was conducted, revealing that two meetings were held with the minister. Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja also welcomed the new routes, while recalling positively his consultation with the government. "The fact that I have received no complaints is a positive sign," Calleja JAMES DEBONO BOTH Lija Mayor Ian Castaldi Paris and Mosta mayor Shirley Farrugia are disappointed by the fact that they only learned of the new bus routes from the newspapers. On the other hand, Qormi mayor Rosianne Cutajar, Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop and Marsaskala mayor Mario Calleja were largely positive on the assessment of the new routes. The most disappointed of the five mayors was Mosta's Nationalist mayor Shirley Farrugia. Farrugia complained about the lack of a proper consultation process after Arriva decided to leave the island. "I had to go online to see the new routes as the routes were not sent to the council before being published… we are now faced with a fait accompli." She recalled that in a meeting held with Minister Joe Mizzi in September, the discussion centred on how to reform the existing Arriva service, and not on the formulation of routes for a completely new service. "Our chief grievances on the Arriva service was the fact that many buses coming from Mellieha are full up by the time these reach Mosta." We also requested a circular bus service to cater for outlying areas and a service linking Mosta to Birkirkara. "I also had asked the minister to communicate the final decision to the council before announcing the new routes." Lija Mayor Ian Castaldi Paris echoes her complaints. "It would be expected of the minister to send the proposals before these were published," Castaldi Paris said. But according to the Lija mayor, Ian Castaldi Paris Transport Malta officials have informed the council that the routes are still at proposal stage and that they can be changed if necessary. Neither was the council informed on the roads from which these buses will be passing. On her part, Mosta mayor Shirley Farrugia also expressed disappointment over some of the changes made in the routes. Rosianne Cutajar She was predominantly concerned by the fact that no buses will now be emerging from the Santa Margarita area. She notes that Arriva only introduced this service after pressure from the council and residents. While welcoming the introduction of bus service from the Mosta centre to Valletta, she complained that at certain times of the day, this will be oper- Chircop told MaltaToday. According to Chircop, Sliema was already well served by the Arriva service. "There were few complaints on Arriva in Sliema." He explained that the only problem faced by the locality was that during the peak of the tourist season buses are packed with language students and tourists. "This problem was partly solved by the bendy buses but these buses also created difficulties in certain streets especially when more than one bendy bus was stuck in traffic." During the meeting with the minister, the Sliema council had also proposed the re-introduction of the cir- Mario Calleja Tony Chircop said. His only reservation was the absence of the route 119, which connects B'Bugia and Marsaskala. "But we have already communicated this to the Ministry and this problem is being solved," Calleja added. The Sliema council is still assessing the impact of the new routes but "the first indications are that the locality will be well served," mayor Anthony cular bus run by the council before the arrival of Arriva. "Back then we were told that the operation of this service was no longer possible because every scheduled service had been handed over to Arriva." Chircop describes this service as a highly beneficial one for Sliema, which has an ageing population, as it would help people to travel within the locality. 'New bus service must retain Arriva positives' NATIONALIST MP Tony Bez- zina has taken exception at news of the revised bus routes, calling on Transport Minister Joe Mizzi to issue more information on the frequency of the new routes. "The schedule does not include information on where the buses will pass, but only says from where these leave and where their journey ends. The public is waiting for much more information, especially since Mizzi has talked of a consultation with local councils over a period of six months," Bezzina said. The MP said Mizzi had to be clear with the taxpaying public and on the forthcoming losses that the bus service will be suffering, since it passed into public hands. The public transport service was nationalised on 2 January 2014 after Arriva Malta, a subsidiary of the Deustche Bahn group, lost millions in euros since starting its operations in 2011. The company benefited from an annual €10 million subsidy from the government to keep up its public service obligation. "Until last year, taxpayers were only paying a subsidy to the company operating the service," Bezzina said. "Now it is paying the full expense of the service." Public transport is now being run by a government company that purchased Arriva's vehicles for a nominal €1 and absorbed €7.9 in debts, while the Unscheduled Bus Service is being paid to provide transport services after Arriva's bendy-buses were removed on order of the transport ministry. Bezzina claimed that reports from commuters already indicated that the service was falling behind in quality, and that the public now expected "a guarantee of punctuality" once a new operator is chosen for the public transport service. "Mizzi must give the public a guarantee that ticket prices do not increase, and neither does the flexibility with which to purchase them. One of the previous service's positives was the affordability and flexibility of tickets, which could be used over two-hour and threemonth periods, with special discounts for students and the elderly. Mizzi must guarantee these positive aspects." Bezzina also said the transition to the new operator must guarantee the employment of former Arriva Malta workers, "on whose livelihood depend over 1,100 families". Arriva raked in €4 million in ticket sales in 2011, but its losses that year were €15.8 million. Sales increased to €21 million in 2012 with increased bus patronage, bringing revenue up to €31 million with the €10 million subsidy, but the company registered a €21.6 million loss. In 2013, patronage actually rose by 10% thanks to improvements in quality and performance, but when four bendy buses were damaged by fire in August 2013, Transport Malta ordered the withdrawal of Arriva's 75 bendy buses, resulting in higher costs to subcontract the Unscheduled Bus Service to provide thirdparty buses. The decision affected 25% of Arriva's fleet, leading to the sub-contraction of 64 coaches. By the end of its operation, it had amassed some €116 million in total liabilities and debt.