Chamber’s public transport argument ‘doesn’t make sense’ - AD

“The Chamber of Commerce’s argument that investment in public transport won’t help the economy doesn’t make sense,” Alternattiva Demokratika’s energy, transport and infrastructure spokesman Ralph Cassar said.

The Chamber of Commerce had expressed dismay that the new public transport operators Alesa will be paid a subsidy of between €24 million and €29 million for the new public service.

“Besides the amount of subsidy involved, the situation is reminiscent of the drydocks because the country has, so far, never managed to adequately reform public transport and because there are, of course, no guarantees that the next attempt will be successful,” the Chamber said. “If the reported figures are correct, the level of annual subsidy cannot be justified in terms of any derived national economic benefit.”

“An efficient public transport system with reasonable prices that is either subsidized by the state or nationalized will help the economy,” Ralpha Cassar said. “The best public transport systems around the world are all either nationalized or subsidized heavily by the state.” 

“The first reform of the transport service only included a minimum service, with a minimum subsidy and inconvenient never-ending routes.”

Cassar also appealed to the government to increase public transport in those areas with high levels of air pollution as a means of countering traffic.

Malta’s national bus operation was nationalized in January 2014 after losses and network breakdowns drove Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Arriva Malta to the ground. Spanish operators Alesa are the successful bidders for the new bus operations.