Reading through Arriva’s information leaflets received in the post, I couldn’t help notice the lack of detail. In particular, I was looking for services to and from Attard, which can hardly be considered as a small village with its 10,000 plus residents, including a high proportion of University, Mcast and sixth former students.
While it is positive that there will be direct links from Attard to, say, the airport and other towns on the way and back, a bus to the University and a bus every 10 minutes on the 51, 52 and 53 routes, what is still not clear is whether these buses will stick to the main road (known as Notabile, Mdina or Rabat Road) or whether, at least, some of the routes will be going through inner Attard, say, through Victor Vassallo, Pitkali and Mosta roads.
Keeping the main routes to the main artery will reduce accessibility for lots of people.
Another question: Will commuters be able to board with their bicycles as is the norm in lots of European cities? This measure will also help to increase the accessibility of routes for people. Local councils can be roped in to help provide simple infrastructure such as bike racks close to major bus stops.
A successful public transport system will be of benefit to all of us.
Let’s hope for the best.
Ralph Cassar 