A new fleet of diesel buses are taking to Malta's roads to meet the increase in demand for public transport.

The 30 buses entered service on Wednesday as part of an €8 million investment by Malta Public Transport (MPT). 

MPT Chairman Felipe Cosmen said the company was still committed to electric buses but decided to buy diesel buses to improve the bus network as soon as possible.  

“Our decision to invest in diesel buses was driven by the urgency to meet the increase in demand for public transport,” he said. 

“Our experience with electric buses has been positive, but specialised infrastructure for electric vehicles still needs to be completed."

General Manager of Malta Public Transport Konrad Pule, Chairman of MPT Felipe Cosman, Transport Minister Chris Bonett and Transport Malta CEO Colonel Mark Mallia with the new fleet of buses. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

He said it would have been unfair to ask bus users to wait for longer before new buses were brought in.  

Thirty new fully electric, zero emission-buses were added to Malta’s scheduled public transport fleet last September. 

At €20 million those buses cost more than double the 30 buses unveiled on Wednesday. 

Transport Minister Chris Bonett said the government plans to invest in 120 new electric buses by the end of next year and replace some of the diesel-powered vehicles. 

In the first three months of this year 17.2 million bus trips were made via bus - an increse of a fifth from the same period last year, Bonett said. 

Those who use the bus at least once a month also rose from 188,000 last year to almost half of Malta’s population, 224,000 this year, he said.  

Transport minister Bonnet said the new buses would help improve the public transport service and convincing people to leave their cars at home.

Last month, Malta Public Transport introduced a new feature of the Tallinja bus app, which allows users to see the location of buses in real time.