Ministry refuses to reveal bus service losses

The Transport Ministry has refused to reveal the extent of losses sustained by the government-run bus service. Despite an estimated loss of €2.2 million of taxpayers’ money per month, a ministry spokeswoman said it was “not prudent” to disclose sensitive information “during this delicate stage of discussions”. The government is holding talks with a Spanish company, Autobuses de Leon SL, which is the only foreign bidder interested in taking over the Maltese bus service for the next 15 years. Representatives of the Spanish bus operator are currently in Malta for talks. The other two bidders are the Unscheduled Bus Service and the Gozo Coaches Cooperative, a group of Gozitan coach owners only interested in the service on the sister island. “The government feels it is prudent to refrain from disclosing sensitive information of commercial value in view of the discussions which are at an advanced stage,” the spokeswoman said, when asked for a breakdown of losses sustained by Malta Public Transport Services Limited, which took over the service in January until a new operator is chosen. The company was formed after transport operator Arriva quit its 10-year contract prematurely last...