One of the few improvements of the public transport system has been the bus route to and from Malta International Airport, or so we have been told.
The bus service has, in fact, been extended to the four corners of the island with the introduction of X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4, X-5, X-7 and 201 buses, and it also comes with a much improved luggage space which was practically non-existent on the older buses. It turns out, however, that even on this particular bus service, there are a number of deficiencies which prevent commuters from making use of it.
On arriving in Malta, a friend of mine who was travelling on a tight budget decided to make use of this bus service. However, when the airport bus arrived at her home town, and she rang the bell for the bus to stop, it didn’t stop at the regular bus stop, which happens to be just a few metres away from my friend’s residence, but stopped about half a kilometre further up the road. The bus driver said that was the designated stop for the airport buses.
Consequently, my friend had to drag her luggage off the bus, cross a road full of traffic and walk to a bus stop located about 200 metres further up the road to catch an already crowded regular bus to take her back down the road to approximately 100 metres from her home.
This hardship endured by my frail dear friend could have been avoided had the airport bus been allowed to stop at the regular bus stops.
It defies logic how the route stops for these airport buses have been designed. Perhaps this is another inherited blunder from the previous overpaid consultants who had taken two years to plan the new public transport system but failed miserably when it was launched.
It is high time the present administration rectifies such shortcomings in the interest of the public and the public transport services. A surcharge of 50c on this particular route would be appropriate if stopping on the regular bus stops is deemed to cause a slight increase in fuel consumption and as compensation for the provision of extra luggage space.
This extra charge might also help the public bus service improve its financial situation.