Public transport routes announced, call for tender expected in coming days

The call for tender for a new service provider in public transport is expected to be issued in the coming days, transport Minister Joe Mizzi said this evening in Parliament.

Replying to various questions in Parliament, Mizzi said that "various initial meetings with parties who showed an interest in providing the public transport service have already taken place."

The public transport service was nationalised in the beginning of 2014 after Arriva transferred its assets to government.

Mizzi explained that the expression of interest will include the routes which the new service provider will be obliged to operate.

The new bus routes were published by Transport Malta following discussions involving the transport ministry and the authority. The routes were drawn up following consultation with local councils and feedback from the public.

Yesterday, Mizzi tabled the agreement with the former operator which showed that the national public transport company that took over the Arriva Malta operations, Malta Public Transport Services Ltd, absorbed €7.9 million in total debts when it took over Arriva Malta for a nominal €1.

The €7.9 million in credit was extended by various Arriva Group subsidiaries. But the losses incurred by the company saw Arriva Malta borrowing lines of credit totalling €10 million from parent company Deutsche Bahn in 2011, then €12 million in 2012, and finally €29.7 million in February 2013 - a total of €52 million.