The government is “seriously considering” liberalising the public transport system if the impasse with the Public Transport Association remains unsolved, informed sources told The Malta Independent.

It is understood that the government is seriously considering this line of action in view of the fact that it believes that the general strike called by the Public Transport Association is not justified and that it was just procrastinating because of the reform.

And while the government is planning to liberalise the sector in order to achieve a better transport system, PTA president Victor Spiteri yesterday told this newspaper that the association and bus drivers were not scared of competition.

He admitted that the image of the Maltese public transport system is not good at all but said that the PTA is doing its best to improve the service it delivers.

As the bus strike entered its second day, affecting also transport to and from state schools, the PTA yesterday morning met Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett in an attempt to solve the impasse.

Although the PTA said it was prepared to forfeit the Lm50,000 difference between what it wants and what the government was offering, the government stuck to its intention to introduce route groups (clustering of drivers for particular routes) and individual contracts with bus drivers. This brought the situation back to square one.

Mr Spiteri said that in view of the minister’s goodwill expressed during Tuesday’s Bondiplus television programme, both parties met yesterday morning in an attempt to solve the deadlock. However, he said, this good will “vanished” overnight and Mr Mugliett said he was not prepared to let go of the route groups. During the same programme, Mr Mugliett hinted that the government was prepared to liberalise the public transport system if the situation remained as is.

But Mr Spiteri did not mention more that happened during yesterday’s meeting, TMID has learnt. The government offered to introduce a certain degree of flexibility in the route groups it wants to set up. While keeping the route groups concept, the government offered to introduce a sort of roster which would see drivers changing route groups. This would be bound by a contract which the government wants the PTA to sign.

The government also made a financial proposal regarding the payment of the subsidy for 2005 and part of that for 2006.

Later yesterday, in an official reply in writing, the PTA refused all the government’s proposals except that regarding the financial package.

Asked why the association was so against the introduction of route groups, Mr Spiteri said that if route groups were to be introduced, the government would have more of a free hand to liberalise the service. But asked whether the association was scared of competition, Mr Spiteri said this was not the case.

“We are not scared of competition. We just want the government to be fair with us. The route groups were introduced in the 1960s but then the government noticed that some groups were doing better than others. In 1977, the government decided to remove the groups and amalgamate all groups into one entity, which today is the PTA. Are we going back to the past?

“We cannot mix the Sliema route with that covering Cottonera. The real reason why the government wants to introduce route groups is to be able to liberalise the service. Why does the government want to liberalise public transport when there are other services it could liberalise, such as taxis? We cannot agree to something with when we know we will end up jobless,” he said.

Asked why the association was opposing the introduction of fixed contracts with bus drivers in order to increase accountability, Mr Spiteri said: “This is not the way with which accountability can or will increase. We always had contracts with the government but now the government wants a four-year definite contract with a big question mark on whether it will be renewed. There will be no long-term planning. Accountability can increase by introducing a point system on our licence.”

Mr Spiteri said Malta will have an efficient public transport system with stipulated arrival and departure times when buses are given priority on the Maltese roads. “We need bus lanes.

“We have no decent bus termini. You cannot start building a room from the roof. You have to start building the foundations first,” he said.

The PTA chief complained that there were no courses for bus drivers to improve their public relations and thus improve their public image. He said last year 2.8 per cent more people used the public transport service and said that this was all thanks to the bus drivers. “The association introduced a sort of competition between bus drivers and gave commission to those drivers who sold more tickets. This was when we had bus drivers stopping for commuters who had not yet reached the bus stop. We are doing our part and are constantly seeing how we can improve the service. We expect some respect in return,” he said.

Mr Spiteri said the strike will continue until a solution is found. The association has called a meeting for all its members at 11am this morning. During this meeting, they will discuss the way forward.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Louis Galea yesterday filed a judicial protest against Mr Spiteri and the PTA over breach of the private contract it had with the Education Division to provide school transport.

In its application, the division called on the association to stop this illegal action and provide school transport as usual. It also called on the association to pay the division Lm6,900.96 in fines for not providing the service as stipulated by the contract the association had agreed to.