Arriva made €23,226,998 in sales from bus tickets

The former public transport service provider Arriva made a total of €23,226,998 in sales from bus tickets between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013.

According to information tabled in parliament by transport minister Joe Mizzi, Arriva used to make an average of €1,935,583 every month.

The highest sales made by Arriva was in August, when sales peaked at €2,486,079. The lowest registered by Arriva was in January 2013 with €1,460,009.

On the other hand, sales registered by the Malta Public Transport Services between January and March of this year totaled €4,285,170.

In reply to questions raised by shadow minister Tony Bezzina, Mizzi said the government company managed “to reduce expenses by €200,000” in two months.

According to information tabled yesterday in parliament, the Malta Public Transport suffered over €7 million in operational expenses in its first two months.

However, the transport minister said that commuters making use of the public transport increased this year – the reduction in income from ticket sales registered was down to the removal of discriminatory tariffs that were applied to foreigners.

A total of 39,438,822 passengers made use of Arriva’s services last year. On the other hand, 5,809,007 made use of the public transport between January and February this year.

The figures tabled by the ministry confirm that use of the public transport service increased during January and February when compared to the corresponding months last year.

January 2013 registered a total of 2,766,265 passengers while January 2014 registered 2,914,148; February 2013 registered 2,708,117 while February 2014 saw 2,894,859 passengers.

Joe Mizzi defended criticism leveled by Bezzina who questioned how in two months, the taxpayers were forced to fork out over €7 million.

“The reply is simple… Arriva suffered over €70 million in debts and it could no longer manage our public transport. The choices were two: either liquidate and end up without a transport service or let the government buy the company as a temporary solution.”

Mizzi said that by buying Arriva – at a nominal value of €1 – the government not only ensured the public transport service ran on but that jobs were safeguarded as well.

“The end result is an increase in passengers and reduction in expenses,” he said, adding that for Arriva to increase the routes, the company had asked for €45 million.

According to the minister, 15 entities had shown interest when an expression for interest was launched. Finally, three companies bid for the tender – Spanish transport group Autobuses Urbaos de León, Gozo First and Island Buses Malta.

This, Mizzi said, was no mean feat.