Arriva Bus Service

not at the moment - there are still a number of problems with them but i would expect these to slowly be resolved....the emphasis being on "slowly"

biggest problems seem to be a number of buses arriving at same time (not necessarily on time), buses driving past the stages and most not even full, drivers charging incorrect fares, and the routes still have some issues too. So at this point id wait a little longer.

That's such a shame, big things were promised to begin with and thought this would be the answer!!! Looks like a car it is then, oh the fear of driving on their crazy roads ha ha. Hopefully they sort things sooner rather than later, I can´t really understand why it is such a difficult thing to get right x

Maltese governnment intervention - simple as that - many of the current problems have been borne out of bad consultants and this government...not necessarily Arriva causing them - although to be honest they took all the advice and consultants findings and never questioned them. The government demanded certain things and as such changed the buses the drivers and the routes and fares too. When all they needed to do was change the drivers and buses, admittedely you would have to expect a rise in fares but that would be ok as they are better buses and i think everyone is hoping that in time the system will improve to what was expected and promised. Like all new systems there will always be a bedding in period and changes are never ever fully accepted immediately......all in good time - good things come to those who wait.....hopefully.

My husband and I are EU citizens in our seventies. We have been visiting Malta for around six months a year for many years and rent an apartment long-let. We try to keep fit by walking each day, however, a trip to the local doctors (which we pay for)/supermarket/shops etc. involve an exhausting uphill climb - as does the walk from the beach.
We used to travel uphill within the village by bus and then walk back home again downhill... NOT NOW! The fare used to be 45cents each on the old buses; Arriva charge us E2.20 each for a 5 minute journey which is exhorbitant and discriminatory.
We have had to curtail our outings considerably, as have many others we know in similar circumstances.
A special low-fare for anyone travelling on the circular village bus on very short single journeys would be sensible.

If you are living in Malta 6 months a year as you say (and assuming one visit is at least 3 months), you are supposed to have a Maltese ID card (and residency certificate). With your ID card you can get an OAPs card (Kartanzjan), and with that the fares are

2 Hour
€0.30

Day
€0.50

7 Day
€2.30

I am not saying its right to do so but many dont bother with a residency cert...an id card will get you fares at 1.50 euro and as george has said just the id card will get you the malti oap card for even cheaper fares as pensioners.

We do not want to be Malta residents, we are British residents and EU citizens.We are aware that an overwhelming number of people have signed up for the Malta ID card - with its many benefits - when they are undoubtedly not residents of Malta in the true sense. That is up to them, it is not our business!
Unfortunately the rules and customs of Malta have, for generations, encouraged people to cheat. We are not prepared to do that, it is no way to run a country.

This in not about subsidies or something-for-nothing! We feel that without the ID card many vulnerable people who have difficulty walking are being exploited and unfairly treated by Arriva. This especially applies to the elderly, and those with disabilities/serious health issues, who may have no option other than to travel by public transport over very short distances within village boundaries.

Fairdoos wrote:

This in not about subsidies or something-for-nothing! We feel that without the ID card many vulnerable people who have difficulty walking are being exploited and unfairly treated by Arriva..

The fares are set by Transport Malta ie the Maltese government, not Arriva. I'm sure Arriva would much rather have the same fare for residents and non-residents as its simpler. The Maltese govt took the decision to discriminate against non-residents, and hopefully the EU will rule against them, but I suspect they won't as it isn't based on citizenship.

If you don't mind me asking, do you never spend more than 3 months at a time in Malta, as if you do, its not only your obligation, but also your right to apply for an ID card.

We prefer to spend time in Malta alternating a couple of months here with several months in UK,as we have family responsibilities.

As I recall, a Maltese ID card application form used to require a signature which also declared that a residency permit would be applied for. This might have changed, however, if it has, I am unaware of it, and if it has not - and there is no mandatory residency requirement - then surely the fares do discriminate as discounted fares are not based on residency at all! This gives 'wriggle-room' and proves my point that Malta rules and laws encourage people to cheat.

I have no problem at all with genuine residents having, in effect, a fare subsidy if they have been paying their taxes here and the subsidy is coming from the Malta government - and not from EU coffers. On the other hand, I still feel that either Arriva, or the government are ripping people off charging E2.20 for a five minute journey.

Maltese IC card application form
http://www.electoral.gov.mt/getresource.aspx?id=65

Below is the declaration - there is nothing directly about "a residency permit would be applied for", but if you live in Malta for more than 3 months at a stay you need to apply for a residency certificate (its now a certificate rather than a permit for EU citizens), so applying for one really means having to apply for the other

"On the other hand, I still feel that either Arriva, or the government are ripping people off charging E2.20 for a five minute journey." - I agree, but its nothing to do with Arriva

I, the undersigned, do hereby declare that to the best of my knowledge all of the above information is true and correct. I do further declare
that:
(a) I am resident in Malta and have been residing in Malta or in ( _______________________________________) since ___________;

Fairdoos wrote:

This might have changed, however, if it has, I am unaware of it, and if it has not - and there is no mandatory residency requirement - then surely the fares do discriminate as discounted fares are not based on residency at all!

discrimination isn't illegal in itself - its perfectly legal to discriminate under certain criteria, which is something the govt has misunderstood when they keep insisting the bus fares aren't discriminatory - of course they are, as some people are paying more than others

discrimination on bus fares based on age is legal (eg children and elderly), whereas discrimination on bus fares based citizenship, race, religion or sex isn't. EU law states discrimination is legal if, in laymans terms, the benefits exceed the costs of discriminating.

What isn't clear is whether discrimination based on residency is permitted under EU law - you say you don't really need to be resident to get an ID card, well you do, unless you lie on the ID card application form.

I wasnt saying that you should cheat nor was i disagreeing with the comment about it being discriminatory - just making a statement of what actually happens..right or wrong. Until the government here and the EU resolve this matter then I am afraid you are lumbered with paying the higher fares like many others are. If you dont agree with it you can always vote with your feet and your british/eu citizenship passport and not stay here. If that feels like you are being pushed out of malta (you wouldnt be alone in that group) and you dont wish to take any other options right ones or wrong ones then it doesnt leave you a lot of options if any at all. There doesnt appear to be a lot of point in complaining as people here have been doing so since the government and MT started the new bus service and not a lot has changed on the fares front and if the EU are true to their past performances then any changes will take a long time to come to fruition. IF AT ALL.