Bus fare discrimination for non-residents ends this Monday

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Bus fare discrimination for non-residents ends this MondayThe Transport Minister Joe Mizzi, during a press conference in Valletta today, said that as from this coming Monday, bus fares for tourists would be the same as those for Maltese commuters.

The discrimination in fare prices with foreigners paying almost double the fare charged to Maltese, caused controversy, ever since the Arriva service was introduced in July 2011. The EU eventually intervened calling for the different fare tariffs to be stopped

The Minister advised that it will issue a call for expressions of interest for a new operator next week, adding that he hoped to have the process completed within a month.

He reiterated that jobs will be safe-guarded, with the new service expected to be more efficient, with reduced running costs.

Photograph – Alain Salvary

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    7 Responses

    1. patricia graham says:

      Excellent news, now drivers can concentrate on the job at hand and not double as immigration inspectors.

    2. Foxglove says:

      It will probably take 6 months before the bus drivers understand this change in charges.

      Some still don’t know that the Karte Anzjan card is no longer issued to non-Maltese EU- residents over 60 and that their e-Residence card with 60+ on the back has taken it’s place..

    3. David Reiling says:

      about time too – how about an apology for allowing it to happen in the first place… and a refund of all the illegal fares taken ion the the last 2.5 years.

      so where does this now go from here…. back to the future maybe…

    4. Oisin Jones-Dillon says:

      The ‘e-Residence Card’ / New identity card fiasco as well as the discriminatory two-tier water and electricity consumption tariff scheme feature prominently among the hundreds of ‘Reasons for signing’ which are appended to this online petition –

      Please sign and disseminate it widely.

      “EU Commission: Stop the discrimination of EU Nationals in Malta”:

      http://www.change.org/petitions/eu-commission-stop-the-discrimination-of-eu-nationals-in-malta

    5. Walter Sultana says:

      Walter It’s about time the Government of Malta just wakening up now .This should of been done, right from the beginning ………….. PROSIT Walter

    6. Anthony Grech says:

      All I can say is this. It is about time that the Government do something about this, and I hope that they do the same thing for tourist crossing by boat. I always said this that everybody should be the same.

      • patricia graham says:

        I agree. Personally I love visiting Gozo so don’t mind the fare but I do see it as discriminatory. Instead of offering free tickets in an effort to encourage folks to Gozo (at massive cost) the fares should be the same all the year round, but that will never happen unless you all get together and fight it.

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