The implementation of the measures announced in the Reshaping our Mobility initiative begins, with improvements to the public transport service. This was announced by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Chris Bonett as he explained how from 20 April, 400 more trips per day will be added, with new routes and significant changes to the Tal-Linja network.
This is as part of a carefully designed plan to improve efficiency, expand the range of operations and better meet the aspirations and needs of communities and travellers. “These changes are the result of an extensive consultation process with the public, local councils, representatives of economic operators in industrial areas as well as social partners,” said Minister Bonett.
He stressed that these changes are built on three main principles where routes are kept as direct as possible to improve efficiency, provide service to workers in industrial areas as well as improve connectivity to educational institutions. He explained how these reforms are being announced at a time when the use of public transport is continuing to grow with a clear sign that when a better service is offered, people respond. “Public transport in Malta can and should be a pillar of modern mobility that offers a reliable, safe and sustainable alternative for everyone. This important measure marks the beginning of our plan to offer solutions to the mobility needs of the Maltese and Gozitan people,” concluded Minister Bonett.
The General Manager of Malta Public Transport, Konrad Pule said that “This improvement required an investment of €6 million to bring 25 new buses that began to be put into service in recent weeks. Given the nature of the direct services that we have introduced, we decided, in agreement with the authorities, to use slightly different cars from the other buses that we are used to seeing on the routes in Malta and Gozo. We felt that these buses would be more suitable as they have more places where you can sit, instead of standing, more space for bags and even luggage compartments, in addition to free Wi-Fi and USB chargers for each seat.”
The Director within the Land Transport Directorate of Transport Malta, Ivan Pierre Vella pointed out how the introduction of new routes and an increase in the frequencies of public transport journeys show a full commitment to encouraging more people to use this means of transport. “The fact that we have introduced new and specific routes for a number of areas shows how focused we are on providing different alternatives that complement a diverse routine that carries a large number of people. As statistics show us, every year more people are using public transport. Thus, the Transport Authority’s commitment will increase so that more people use this free service,” stressed Ivan Pierre Vella.
The main changes include:
• New routes in several important areas including industrial ones.
• Modifications to existing routes to reach residential areas that were not covered by the service.
• Increased frequency of several popular routes. • Trips that start earlier to better serve workers and students.
• Adjustments in the transfer of times to better correspond to the daily life of the communities
In March 2025, the number of passengers using public transport increased by almost 11% compared to the same period last year. Since January, the number of public transport journeys has increased by 7.7% compared to the same period last year, a record year with more than 75 million journeys. The Government is committed to, together with Malta Public Transport, continuing to improve this service with the aim of making it more frequent, accessible and reliable. The document attached to the statement includes more details on the changes and new routes that will come into effect from 20 April 2025 onwards.
Photo: MTIP
