Gozitan students have flagged problems with bus services that are making it harder for them to reach the University of Malta campus every day.

The Gozitan University Students Association said that it has engaged Malta Public Transport in discussions in the hope of getting the company to reintroduce the X300 route, which provided a rapid link between the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal and Msida.

Bus X300 was effectively halted last summer when fast ferry services began operating from Valletta to Mġarr, Gozo, with a rapid bus service instead operating from the Valletta terminal to University.

That means when fast ferry services are suspended due to poor weather – as happened this week – Gozo-based students must use an X1 route bus to get from Ċirkewwa to campus.

In a statement, the GUG said that complaints about the X1 bus were piling up.

“This route follows several stops, and for this reason, the X1 is often full, leaving students at bus stops waiting for hours. Also, there were times when students reported that the X1 bus did not show up at all and would have to find other alternative means of commuting. As a matter of fact, this is what happened to a couple of students yesterday, who had to wait until 16:45pm after the 16:08pm bus never showed up. When it finally did, the bus driver just kept on going and did not make his stop, leaving students stranded at the bus stop,” they said.

The association flagged a lack of coordination with bus routes, noting that the 300 route that takes passengers from the fast ferry terminal to campus continued to operate on Thursday, despite there being no fast ferries in operation on the day.

It said that it was now in talks with MPT to lobby to reintroduce the X300 service from Ċirkewwa.