Buses in Malta

[Tony]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131222/local/arriva-to-leave-malta-early-next-year.499979#.UravcrSvSs0

Certainly not West midlands News. Wonder if any of the buses will be repatriated over here though

[Justin Tyme]

It could make Wednesfield or Cannock more interesting!

Arriva's exit from Malta is not surprising - it's been reported that they've made big losses.  I wonder what next for there.  It's hard to imagine another UK group being interested.

[Liverpool Street]

It could make Wednesfield or Cannock more interesting!

Arriva's exit from Malta is not surprising - it's been reported that they've made big losses.  I wonder what next for there.  It's hard to imagine another UK group being interested.

Probably a consortium of sorts?

[PM]

It seems to have been a complete disaster from start to finish-the buses, the routes, the bus stations, the increased fares, the drivers initially reluctant to work for arriva. I just think it is a shame the yellow buses went-pretty sure they didn't catch fire, get lost, not turn up etc etc. Shame I never went to Malta to see the yellow buses in action but it certainly looks an interesting place. Dare I say-this is what happens when you re-regulate a market... 

[Bob]

Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?

[PM]

Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?

Think so yeah which were heavily modified

[Bob]

Cool.

[Liverpool Street]

Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?

Think so yeah which were heavily modified

Passenger doors welded open most likely haha

[Justin Tyme]

Yes, all these and loads of much older vehicles, such as Bedford SBs and Leyland Comets I believe.  I've never been to Malta either, but I gather the buses themselves were lovingly cared for by their owner-drivers (who generally owned just one bus each), and were regarded as one of the main sights of the island.

However, I think the theory was that while tourists loved them, residents did not think that much of them and the network carried alot fewer passengers than it ought to have done.  But... It looks like the Maltese Government upset the owner-drivers by effectively excluding them from bidding for the new network (as apparently only major operators met the criteria) and Arriva had to rush over loads of drivers as well as buses - regardless of cost - even though they had several months to prepare.  Perhaps a phased transition rather than a revolution would have been better.

A Maltese or partly-Maltese consortium may be the best solution, with a phased transfer rather than another big bang.

[Bob]

What will the authorities do now?  Take the services on themselves? Apparently the bendi buses were a bit tight getting up some streets and certain corners etc and the bus stops etc werent designed for them

[winston]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131222/local/arriva-to-leave-malta-early-next-year.499979#.UravcrSvSs0

Certainly not West midlands News. Wonder if any of the buses will be repatriated over here though

Other than the Artics that Malta have (which I can't see Arriva wanting back), are any other of the types operated common to UK?

If I remember correctly, isn't the bulk of the Malta fleet made up primarily of King Long low floor single deckers of varying lengths & supplemented by a fleet of ex London Merc Artics?

[D10]

Latest Buses mag has a feature on the continuing problems in Malta from a passengers point of view. Arriva's name seems to be mud over there.

[the trainbasher]

Maybe the citaros could come over here for the 19 and 10? Place the dockers on the 310 and brand the darts for the 229 :-)

[NXWM Spectra]

Maybe the citaros could come over here for the 19 and 10? Place the dockers on the 310 and brand the darts for the 229 :-)

I'd love to see the state of an artic after going round Wolverhampton on the 10 and 19, 6013!

[derningtona]

Yesterday's paper says the government are taking over the buses:-

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-to-purchase-Arriva-buses-20131223

Patrick.