Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said today in parliament that Transport Malta is focusing all its energy on campaigns promoting the use of public transport which will be launched once the new public transport routes are announced.

Asked by the Opposition whether discussions between the government, TM and Arriva are still ongoing or have reached a stage of exhaustion, Mr Mizzi said that he has nothing to add to what he has said already.

On Tuesday, the government said talks had been “exhausted” while the bus operator, Arriva, insisted it was business as usual and negotiations were ongoing.

Speaking during a breakfast show, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said the long, drawn-out talks with the public transport provider, which had started at the end of August, had been exhausted and the outcome had been referred to legal and financial experts.