Arriva was ‘cheaper and better’, PN denounces €432 million Alesa bus contract

Spanish bus operators Autobuses de Leon will be paid €432 million to run the new public transport service, a contract tabled by transport minister Joe Mizzi shows.

But his PN counterpart Marthese Portelli has described the payment as “a burden of €3,000” on every Maltese family, whom she said were paying higher fares for the bus service.

Portelli also factored in non-commuters, who said were paying higher fuel prices for private transport. Portelli is also shadow environment minister.

“The sum Alesa is being paid is astronomical and not justified. The Arriva service was far cheaper and gave a better service. It is clear the contract was penned by the Spaniards and Mizzi just bowed his head to their demands without safeguard the public interest,” Portelli said.

She also noted the tardy publication of the contract - 14 months after the operator took over the service - pointing out that since the contract was signed by the transport minister himself, she expected the interest of the Maltese people to be safeguarded better. "Employees are also getting unfavourable contracts, with unreasonable working hours and bad working conditions, while making up for foreign employees who cannot communicate well in Maltese or English," she continued, "This is in breach of the contract."

Also in attendance was general elections candidate Ivan Bartolo, who pointed out that a MaltaToday survey has revealed that public transport was the issue most concerning people over the past week.