Public transport to service 27 new routes

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said that 27 new routes would be added to the public transport service by 13 September.

"The buses will now cover an added 23,000km a week, bringing customers a wider and more efficient service," Mizzi said.

He added that leaflets about the new routes would be distributed to homes and that the new routes were a result of various public consultations and discussions with local councils to ensure the best connectivity for the island.

"The company received around 3,500 suggestions and once the routes were planned, we discussed them with local councils again."

He explained that the new routes had required around 148 new vehicles for the company and an added three million kilometres.

"We added some 80 new vehicles to the fleet in July and August and we will now be adding another 62 in September."

He also pointed out that previous providers had requested a €42 million subsidy for the addition of so many routes and that the new company had requested some €29 million.

He added that he hoped the new system would encourage more people to choose public transport for their commute by increasing the system's efficiency.