Getting around Malta and Gozo on public transport from 3 July, 2011, will be so much easier, quicker and more efficient thanks to greater connectivity and more choices available for passengers to get to various destinations – passengers just need to get used to the new system.
Arriva has committed to doing all it can to help the public get used to the new system, and in response to passenger interest in the Mater Dei Hospital and Tal-Qroqq (University) interchange, it has mailed a leaflet to all 166,000 households in Malta, with information focusing on ‘How to get to Mater Dei from your locality.’
Keith Bastow, Managing Director of Arriva in Malta, explained, “It is important for passengers to realise that Malta is to benefit from a brand new bus network. It is not a case of changes to a small number of routes, it is a whole new network with 24 main lines linking major settlements with high-frequency services, 30 feeder lines that link local services to the main line routes and interchanges, two cross-line routes to improve travel options and the four Airport Express routes.”
“This new network hinges on interchanges enabling travellers to move around the grid as they wish, rather than having to divert via Valletta each time. Mater Dei is a prime example of the new way of travelling around Malta by bus, using interchanges to connect to your desired destination.”
Mr Bastow added, “The transport reform was always going to bring change, and we appreciate that it will take time for people to get used to these changes. We are committed to doing all we can to help the travelling public get used to this change and become familiar with the new route numbers and destinations that will be covering some 23.5 million route kilometres per year, as opposed to the current 17.5 million kilometres, an increase of 34 per cent. This latest leaflet is intended to answer the public’s queries regarding to how to get to Mater Dei. Our route planners have highlighted the quickest way to get to Mater Dei and the University from different towns and villages.”
“Whilst it is a brand new bus network, we appreciate that the public want to draw comparisons with the old bus routes, so also included in the leaflet is a summary of the old bus routes and areas served, alongside the new ways of making those journeys.”
The brand new route network has been designed by Transport Malta, which has put a lot of thought into the various routes and timetables that Arriva is bound by contract to operate. “Arriva is responsible for the service delivery, which we look forward to starting on 3 July, 2011,” Mr Bastow added.
“We are happy to take up this challenge and when, after six months, Transport Malta plans to review the route network, we will sit down with them and, together, we will see what requests have been made and what changes are possible for the future. In the meantime, we will be logging all comments and suggestions and will feed them in to the review.”
“Arriva is committed to providing a high quality service to international standards, bringing to Malta and Gozo the best transport system possible now and for the next 10 years – we need to work together with the people of Malta and Gozo to achieve that, your feedback is important to it, so as you use the services, please let us know what works well for you and what would make services work better for you.”
To download a copy of the Mater Dei mailer please click here [1], or you can request a copy by calling Arriva’s Customer Care Centre on 2122 2000.