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Arriva leaving Malta.

GuestPoster566
#1
Transport operator Arriva will be leaving Malta by the first quarter of next year under a transition agreement being finalised between the company and transport authorities, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
Transport Malta and Arriva management are currently negotiating the terms of the deal through which the Transport Authority would take over the company and a portion of its substantial debts in a nominal sale.
The authority is then expected to issue a call for expression of interest to re-award the licence. The details of the deal are still being ironed out but there is agreement on the broad terms.
It averts the option of the company filing for liquidation 聳 a messy prospect for both Arriva and the government.

Well, brace ourselves for disruption as despite all the criticism of Arriva, I think a lot of 'blame' should be attached to the government that brought them in and since kept moving the 'goalposts'.
See also
G
#2
Agree, both governments to blame - the PN for changing the goalposts and PL for making it clear they weren't wanted and have forced them into a corner.
Duxx
#3
what is unclear from the article, at least for me: will the buses leave the island, or the bus fleet will be remain here?

looks like some "fun" times are ahead of us, until new licence holder kick's in
G
#4
It says tm are taking over the company which should involve the assets ie the buses
Toon
#5
t he buses will remain as Tm take them over聽 - otherwise the company would have been forced into liquidation meaning that the buses would be impounded and unable to be used....
martelli
#6
as i am here only for 6 months now i don't know much about the politics behind arriva etc.. does the article say if the new company taking over will respect more passengers? or whether they will reduce the fares -at least for the expats? they will be more accurate regarding timetables even in the summer?
G
#7
the fares have nothing to do with Arriva - they are fixed by the government - however, I suspect the non-resident fares will come down when the new company takes over, implying it was all Arrivas fault
mantonas
#8
Oh well, I just hope it changes for better because to be honest, they could have done a much better service, if they wanted.
GuestPoster566
#9
Perhaps we will see a Chinese company operating the system?
Toon
#10
to be fair this was not Arrivas fault with the exception of the choice of drivers, bad training and lack responsible man management聽 - TM and the government need to take full responsibility for it all - BUT WE KNOW THEY WONT,
GuestPoster566
#11
Toon, I totally agree with you and that Arriva have done their best under very difficult circumstances. But of course the blame will be attached to them. Or, as in some comments in the papers, it's the British fault for supplying the buses in the first place. (I have corrected a few who think Arriva is a British company, though it is run from UK.)
Given the behaviour of many passengers, the congested roads, the shifting of the goalposts (performance targets and services) by Government then I have sympathy for those who did their best. The service on Gozo is excellent and the driver's skills are sometimes amazing, though I hasten to add I have used Arriva services all over the islands.
One thing I have noticed is the ease with which people affix blame and direct their anger at the easiest target, which in most cases, is the wrong one.
Toon
#12
its difficult circumstances and the easiest targets are usually the ones easiest to access......

am just hoping they can get it right at the secodn chance and actually start listening to the only people that matter and thats the customer.....
G
#13
This whole episode makes it less likely foreign companies will set up in Malta
Toon
#14
can you blame any company not wishing to come here to set up?
G
#15
Let's see what price is agreed on for the assets and who takes them over, but smacks of a forced nationalisation in a country like Argentina or Venezuela
GuestPoster566
#16

georgeingozo wrote:

Let's see what price is agreed on for the assets and who takes them over, but smacks of a forced nationalisation in a country like Argentina or Venezuela


I understand the Government is inviting expressions of interest.

tearnet
#17
I understand the Government is inviting expressions of interest

In Malta that means it will be a nice Christmas present for a "friend" of someone in power!!
I have an awful feeling that a "bring back聽 Arriva " campaign will be starting about this time next year!!

Merry Christmas,

Terry
GuestPoster566
#18
You don't miss your water 'till your well runs dry!聽 ;)
G
#19


"Asked whether the government subsidy would be changed, the minister said some change would be necessary at least to take into account the elimination of the different fare structure for foreigners and Maltese. "
tearnet
#20
Not forgetting that the "new service" will require more buses if they plan to run more routes.
The subsidy will be the next point of contention as they will not be able to blame the "foreigners" any more!

Terry
tearnet
#21
Followed a "Paramount" coach carrying schoolchildren the other day. Passenger entrance door hanging open, no brake lights, children jumping off and running in front of the coach to cross the road (encouraged by the driver).

A taste of the service to come?

Terry
GuestPoster566
#22
Depends upon the Chinese way of doing things.聽 :whistle:
G
#23

redmik wrote:

Depends upon the Chinese way of doing things.聽 :whistle:


whats Level 42 got to do with it ?

GuestPoster566
#24

georgeingozo wrote:
redmik wrote:

Depends upon the Chinese way of doing things.聽 :whistle:


whats Level 42 got to do with it ?


:top:

Rocking Ken
#25
What about the drivers?? would their jobs saved and would they be retrained in given good customer service?
GuestPoster566
#26
I don't think one should necessarily blame the drivers for anything. They are the obvious first target but not the right one.
tearnet
#27
I would go as far as to say that there is not one company on Malta or Gozo that has the infrastructure or resources to run a successful bus company.
Arriva failed to keep on top of maintenance because there was not a large enough maintenance section to check and repair faults before they failed. This means that drivers are driving buses that were unreliable, looked scruffy and that always had small faults聽 that were never rectified, this always leads to lack of pride and confidence in a company.
Any new company will face the same problems and will have to provide more vehicles if the "old " routes are to be reintroduced.
Given the staggering losses that Arriva have had,聽 the government subsidy will have to be massive for such聽 a small island.
What they need to do is to stop trying to provide a service to every street and run聽 core routes between towns that are frequent and on time ( this would mean lanes and routes for buses only at peak times and strictly enforced parking regulations) .
Then allow private individuals / small company's to apply聽 for routes that they think will pay, with an聽 agreed sum to be paid to the government as a fee to be reviewed every year.

I doubt any of this will happen and my guess is that a Maltese company will run the service with聽 a massive subsidy and with no foreigners to blame it will limp along providing a Maltese service until the next election!

Terry
GuestPoster566
#28
Fair comments there Terry.
Just two observations from me.
1. There seems to be an anti British agenda run by some papers as they constantly refer to Arriva as being a British company. Though run from UK it is a subsidiary of a German company.
2. It is reported at all Arriva identity is to be removed from the buses but at what cost, just to have another company name put on at a later date?
Duxx
#29
they re mentionig new ticket prices, so is it smart to buy 3 month ticket now as my run out, or just get 1 month and hope that it will be valid for the whole 30 days even if it wont be arriva any more?
GuestPoster566
#30

Duxx wrote:

they re mentionig new ticket prices, so is it smart to buy 3 month ticket now as my run out, or just get 1 month and hope that it will be valid for the whole 30 days even if it wont be arriva any more?


Well, we don't know what the new prices will be so difficult to say, it's gamble.

G
#31
The indication from the Minister is that prices for residents will remain the same, and prices for non-residents/people without eResidence card will be lowered to match them, and the subsidy increased.

I'd be amazed if the prices for residents were increased
GuestPoster566
#32

georgeingozo wrote:

The indication from the Minister is that prices for residents will remain the same, and prices for non-residents/people without eResidence card will be lowered to match them, and the subsidy increased.

I'd be amazed if the prices for residents were increased


So will I!聽 That could be a political gaff as now they have an opportunity to gain some great support if this is managed properly.

tearnet
#33

redmik wrote:
georgeingozo wrote:

The indication from the Minister is that prices for residents will remain the same, and prices for non-residents/people without eResidence card will be lowered to match them, and the subsidy increased.

I'd be amazed if the prices for residents were increased


So will I!聽 That could be a political gaff as now they have an opportunity to gain some great support if this is managed properly.


Ha Ha聽 Ha, I just love your optimism .聽 :lol:

G
#34

tearnet wrote:
redmik wrote:
georgeingozo wrote:

The indication from the Minister is that prices for residents will remain the same, and prices for non-residents/people without eResidence card will be lowered to match them, and the subsidy increased.

I'd be amazed if the prices for residents were increased


So will I!聽 That could be a political gaff as now they have an opportunity to gain some great support if this is managed properly.


Ha Ha聽 Ha, I just love your optimism .聽 :lol:


looks like you win

"Mizzi also revealed that a price increase had already been agreed upon in 2014 by the former Nationalist government."

tearnet
#35
" The government will take on less than 聙15 million of Arriva's debt when Transport Malta takes over the bus service on January 1. The amount is substantially lower than the 聙50 million debt accumulated by the transport company since 2011.

TM will also take over Arriva's buses and IT system while workers will be retained.

Most of Arriva聮s debts will be absorbed by its parent and sister companies after insistence by Transport Malta during talks in the past four months.

The debt that will be absorbed by the state includes money owed to creditors on operational matters such as fuel purchases. Arriva also has outstanding dues with Transport Malta."


Interesting that there is no mention of how much the government will pay for the Busses and equipment or who will pay for the bendy busses that are not to be used?
Will Arriva pay to have them shipped off the Island or try to sell them to  a private contractor in Malta?

Terry
GuestPoster566
#36
Perhaps because the issue if the bendy buses was 'resolved' before this pull out by Arriva, that may have been previously determined?
Be good to know though.
Doubt we'll ever know the full details though.
maximusm03
#37
Just came across following:

1) '........The minister confirmed that foreigners will start paying the same fares as residents in the New Year, a decision that will come at a cost.........Malta was forced by the EU to drop the discriminatory pricing structure.'

Source: The Times of Malta: Arriva racked up debt of 聙50m - No intention to nationalise buses - Saturday, 28th December, 2013.

2) ANY citizen, living in an EU member state - be they EU, EEA, Swiss OR Third-Country National - may file a petition to the European Parliament Committee on Petitions online in any of the official languages of the European Union.

Simply click on this internet link to do so:

secure.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/petition.html


I am just wondering if that will apply to the two-tier utilities system any time soon.

G
#38

tearnet wrote:

Will Arriva pay to have them shipped off the Island or try to sell them to聽 a private contractor in Malta?

Terry


I dont believe they would be allowed back on the streets in Malta

G
#39

maximusm03 wrote:

I am just wondering if that will apply to the two-tier utilities system any time soon.


no, the 2 tier system will remain for holiday/2nd homes I believe.

GuestPoster566
#40
See this: /forum/viewtopic.p 鈥� 73#1658275

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