€404,662 on public transport promotion since changeover

€350,000 in EU funds, €54,662 in public funds allocated to public transport marketing since privitisation at the start of the year 

Promotion expenses on public transport have totalled €404,662 since the service was privitised by Autobuses de Leon at the start of the year.

Information tabled in parliament by transport minister Joe Mizzi in response to a parliamentary question by shadow transport minister Marthese Portelli shows that €350,000 in EU funds were spent on marketing to promote public transport and the new tallinja card.

€22,127 in public funds have also been spent on public transport promotion since 1 January, with a further €32,535 in pending costs.

Harking to the past, Mizzi added that Transport Malta had directly forked out €62,000 in marketing costs when Arriva were in charge of public transport. A further €77,808 were originally paid by Arriva but later reimbursed by the transport regulator.

In response to a further PQ by Portelli, Mizzi revealed that €8,954 in public funds were used to advise the public about road closures in connection with the Coast Road resurfacing project since the start of the year.