The government has announced a park and ride service in Gozo using six electric buses funded by the EU which had been idle for months.

The service will operate between the Xewkija heliport and Mġarr Harbour between 5am and 9pm.

Trips will be every 10 minutes between 5am and 8am and between 3pm and 6pm and every half hour at other times. The service is free of charge. 

Users can park their cars near the heliport at Triq il-Kanal and Triq il-Bwier.

In a statement, the Grupp Universitarji Għawdxin welcomed the service, saying it would be useful for students who cross to Malta and worry about where to park their cars in Mġarr. 

Times of Malta reported last month that the buses, purchased by the Gozo ministry for almost €1.7 million, had been gathering dust in a government compound in Xagħra for 18 months. 

The tender had been published in November 2018 and the contract with the supplier signed in April 2019.

The buses were delivered to Gozo in June last year.