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Almost €300,000 in fines imposed on Arriva in five months
In just under five months, Transport Malta imposed a total of €284,250 worth of fines on public transport operator Arriva.
25 April 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
Arriva is finding the ICT system challenging and has not resolved all issues yet.
Since Arriva started receiving its first fines from the transport watchdog in November, the amount has today reached a total of €284,250. However, Arriva can also contest the fines, according to Transport Minister Austin Gatt.
Replying to a parliamentary question raised by Labour MP Anthony Agius Decelis asking for a general overview of the public transport reform, Gatt said that public service has stabilised itself for the majority of routes.
"However there are still a number of scheduled routes which either the operator is not keeping up with the timetable or which are not being covered," Gatt said, adding this as a result of two buses arriving on the bus stop at the same time, where passengers would be left waiting until another bus arrives.
Transport Malta increased its monitoring on the routes, on the operator's timetable and the information services provided to the passengers.
"This monitoring has led Transport Malta to issue €284,250 in fines to Arriva. The operator can however contest them," Gatt said.
The minister added that the operator is still finding the ICT system challenging and has not resolved all issues yet. "Even though the public can access the information real time through monitors set up at the interchanges and the bus hubs, the system is not functioning at the level stipulated by the agreement," he said.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Quote'Since Arriva started receiving its first fines from the transport watchdog in November, the amount has today reached a total of €284,250. However, Arriva can also contest the fines, according to Transport Minister Austin Gatt.Unquote
Does this mean that Arriva has not paid one euro of the fine yet?
Priscilla Darmenia •
I remember the public transport when I was in Luxembourg. The majority of the time the bus was always on schedule and I risked going on the bus stop about 1 minute before the scheduled time. I never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus to arrive. –
I used to observe the drivers consulting their time schedule and their watch. If they were early, they used to drive slower and stop at bus stops for some seconds, even if no passengers disembarked or embarked. If they were late, they would skip bus stops where there no passengers to pick up or disembark and they would drive at a higher speed but always maintaining the speed limit allowed in the particular area. –
Can’t Arriva do something similar?
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Arriva's subsidy should be given to cummuters, for the lose of time being wasted at bus stops. Today from 06.15(Savoy Bus Stop) the 22 bus came at 07.13. From Savoy to Mater Dei, it took 32 minutes. When I asked the driver he said that its not true that I waited that long. People who get to get to work at 07.00 am arrived at 07.35. We done Arriva! that wgat I call efficiency. It was a God sen you came to Malta. You kept your promise "Very Efficient an timely service" Once again Well Done.
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This is chickenfeed compared to the sham service they have been providing especially the millions of euros in subsidies they are being given through our taxes. A foreign company is getting millions in subsidies while for our national airline to get aid we have to submit to the EU dictatorship permission and they decide like they decided that the Gonzi government must reduce the budget by 40 million euros.
