'Government should have inquired after Autobuses' electric scooter policy' - Mifsud Bonnici

The government should not have chosen a public transport operator with a policy of disallowing electric scooters on board their buses, shadow social solidarity minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici said.

“Electric scooters are the only solution of movement for many people,” Mifsud Bonnici said in a parliamentary adjournment. “If the government truly wants disabled people to feel included, then it shouldn’t have signed an agreement with a company that has that policy.

The government is being incredibly insensitive to people with disability.”

Felipe Cosmen, director of new public transport operators Autobuses de Leon, confirmed last week that the company is not about to change their policy regarding electric scooters.

“When Transport Minister Joe Mizzi travelled to Spain to speak with Autobuses de Leon, is it possible that he didn’t have the chance to discuss electronic scooters with them?” Mifsud Bonnici questioned. “If Mizzi didn’t even bother to ask Autobuses about their policy regarding electric scooters, then it would be an incredibly worrying situation.

“Sometimes it feels as though we live in a country where everything goes.”

While expressing her wish for Autobuses de Leon to change this particular policy, Mifsud Bonnici pointed out that the policies of companies such as The National Express West Midlands and Arriva are to allow mobility scooters on board.