The Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure has recently been informed that the European Commission has closed the infringement proceedings against Malta, concerning the issue of the differentiated tariff structure for bus transport in Malta, which discriminated between the maximum fares applicable to residents of Malta and the fares payable by persons who are not residents of Malta.

The Labour Party had launched a massive campaign against the idea, lambasting then Minister Austin Gatt in what was a crusade against the minister and the reform in the public transport sector he piloted.

This closure followed a decision taken by Government to introduce unitary rates for public transport bus fares as from 6 January. These changes terminated the discriminatory tariff structure based on residence, which were established by the previous administration.

The Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure welcomes the Commission’s decision to close this infringement and noted the increase in the use of public transport usage since the removal of the two-tier system.