Watch: Buses Could Run Throughout Night But At A Cost, Minister Aaron Farrugia Suggests
Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia has said he is open to allowing buses to run throughout the night, but only if people are willing to pay for the service and if they start changing their attitudes towards public transport.
During a recent interview on F Living, Farrugia was asked by a viewer whether he is ready to offer a night bus service for the sake of people who work late hours.
“It’s a good and valid point but I receive these kinds of messages to add routes from X to Y everyday,” the minister responded, although he warned it could prove to be too costly.
“Whenever we entertain new routes we must spend a lot of money. I must go to the Finance Minister and tell him to give the money to me instead of to the health and education ministries; there is an opportunity cost with every choice.”
“If, on the other hand, we say that night buses come at a cost for consumers, for example, €2 per ride, then that is something one must look into.”
“However, I will be clear. So far the Maltese people don’t really tend to walk from their homes to a bus stop and they would rather park their car outside their home. More Maltese people have started using the bus but certainly not on the levels we would like.”
With a draconian ban on rental e-scooters set to come into force in March, more focus on public transport is expected. Since most buses stop operating at around midnight, the only remaining options for people wishing to travel at night will be to use a private vehicle or pay for a taxi.
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