The government and Transport Malta have reached an agreement with Arriva for the bus services operations to pass on to a government company, the Department of Information said this evening.

The agreement, sources said, was reached over a nominal €1 fee for the transfer of shares. The media was not invited for the transfer.

A team from TM is being seconded to this company to ensure that the public bus service continues smoothly and that the transitional period in between Arriva and the new operator will be the least inconvenient to passengers, the government said.

During this period of delicate negotiations, especially in the light of risks that the company could be liquidated – which would have led to a suspension of the service and employees losing their job – the government wanted to ensure that the agreement is convenient for everyone.

The Transport Minister thanked Arriva and its employees. In a statement issued simultaneously, Arriva said that after careful consideration, agreement has been reached to transfer the whole of the shareholding of Arriva Malta to the Government of Malta, taking effect from today.
 
"We have considered every alternative together with Government representatives and have entered into long and detailed negotiations to try and find a satisfactory outcome for all parties. We believe that this decision will be in the best interests of all stakeholders and ensure continuation of the provision of bus services on Malta and Gozo for the travelling public," Arriva said.
 
Services continue to operate as normal and, as part of the agreement, Arriva will provide operational management advice to the Government of Malta over the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition for customers and employees, the company said.