Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party, is a responsible party which discusses issues on their merits. As the party had done on the introduction of the Arriva service, the party augurs that the new public transport opertor offers an efficient service which encourages more people to use public transport for commuting.
Ralph Cassar, AD spokesperson on transport, energy and infrastructure said:”It is crystal clear that the acute failure of the public transport system came about as a result of years of neglect, followed by a system with a reduced service of longer routes, a chronic shortage of buses and stingy financing of the system. Some quick
research of public transport systems in countries and cities for which such systems are key to improving citizens’ quality of life shows that good systems are heavily financed by public authorities. Those who hold the fight against air pollution and disease at heart, those who understand the link between a good system and a better quality of life, and those who understand what a modern public transport system in a modern country entails realise that substantial public funding is
required and discuss possible sources of funding instead of engaging
in the usual petty politics so common in Malta.”
“As usual PL and PN avoid discussing the real issues and throw around half truths and childish arguments. The Minister’s game of giving information in bits and pieces is also not conducive to real dialogue.”
Ralph Cassar added that the reduction in prices for some tickets, such as the weekly ticket for children and senior citizens and the 3 month student ticket. The substantial increase in buses, which it seems will be EURO6, is also necessary and positive.
sistemi ta’ trasport pubbliku ta’ pajjiżi li jagħtu importanza lil dan is-servizz pubbliku juri li sistemi tajbin huma dawk li huma iffinanzjati b’mod sostanzjali mill-awtoritajiet pubbliċi. Minflok kritika għall-ammont ta’ finanzjament, min huwa serju, min irid
inaqqas it-tniġġis tal-arja, min irid kwalita ta’ ħajja aħjar u min huwa favur servizzi pubbliċi denji ta’ pajjiż modern għandu jiddiskuti u jagħmel proposti ta’ sorsi ta’ finanzjament għat-trasport pubbliku.”“Minn naħa l-oħra Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li bħas-soltu, l-PL u l-PN minflok jiddiskutu s-suġġett mhedija f’battibekki pwerili – bit-tnejn li huma jgħidu nofs veritajiet u bil-Ministru jilgħab il-logħba li joħroġ l-informazzjoni bl-iskossi. B’din it-tip ta’ politiċi se nibqgħu pajjiż tal-ħabba gozz.”
Ralph Cassar żied jgħid li t-tnaqqis tal-prezz tal-biljetti ta’ ġimgħa għat-tfal u l-anzjani, u t-tnaqqis fil-biljetti ta’ tlett xhur għall-istudenti huwa pożittiv. Iż-żieda sostnzjali fin-numru ta’ karozzi tal-linja, li mid-dehra se jkunu EURO6, huwa wkoll pożittiv.