The agreement was signed by ADT chairman Mark Portelli, ADT chief executive officer Mario Falzon, permanent secretary within the Roads and Urban Development ministry Vince Cassar and Public Transport Association president Victor Spiteri.
Roads and Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett described the agreement as “historic” because it was one step closer to what everyone has been longing for: a better public transport service. Moreover, he said, this agreement would serve as a good basis for discussions on the agreement for the period between 2005 and 2009.
The agreement provides for the government to pay the arrears of the subsidy and, in turn, the bus owners are to implement a number of measures dating from the preceding agreement, as well as make a renewed effort to provide an efficient and high quality public transport.
These measures include the introduction of eight new bus routes from a number of towns and villages to the university, between 6am and 4pm. Another bus route will see the extension of the bus system to Hal Far to be used by those working at factories in this area.
Another measure will see the use of the new buses, some of which were being used to ferry people to coffee mornings and children to school rather than for daily public transport. The agreement warns of heavy penalties if the new buses are not used, including the loss of the subsidy for that bus and the bus’s possible confiscation.
A code of conduct with penalties for infringements is also being introduced and instant fines will be imposed on those caught in breach of this code.
Mr Mugliett said that a study is being made on all 91 bus routes. Around 60 of these run at a loss while the rest return healthy profits. Revenue generated from bus ticket sales amounts to Lm5 million a year, with an average of 29 million passengers.
When asked if the parties had agreed on a timeframe within which an agreement for the 2005-2009 period has to be reached, Mr Mugliett said that by the first three months of next year the basis for an agreement will have been reached.
Replying to another question, Mr Mugliett said the government was not considering an increase in bus fares for now. He added that this is a decision that will have to be taken after studies have been
carried out.
Mr Spiteri expressed his satisfaction that the agreement was being signed. However, he expressed the hope that the government will now prioritise those things which will help bus drivers do their job better. He mentioned bus lanes and bus termini, as examples.
In answer to a question, Mr Spiteri denied that the use of public transport has constantly fallen over the years. Mr Mugliett added that there seems to have been a 15 per cent increase in the use of buses over the past few weeks.