Malta 2024 – Bring a cushion.

 

BUS 111, King Long XMQ6127J entering Marsaskala seafront at high tide.

A third visit to this wonderful island and a third operator in charge of the public transport network. During the first visit the buses were operated by independents and their eclectic mix of vehicles; Arriva were in charge during the second visit and this year it was ALSA, using the Malta Public Transport (MPT) brand. The 430 buses are now a modern mix of King Long (diesel and electric) and Otokar, with Mercedes Benz making up the majority of the rest.

Pre-planning a trip is easy using the MPT website, and purchasing a travel card from the airport information desk could not be simpler. For €25 you get seven days unlimited travel on the network in Malta and Gozo, a single trip cost €2.50. Unfortunately, what you do not get is a comfortable seat as the buses are fitted with Kiel seats covered in moquette without any padding, hence the title of this article.

Stepping outside the airport terminal, the bus stops are directly in front of you. We were staying in Valletta, so required the X4 which operates every 30 minutes to the central bus station, although in reality you alight on Vjal Lr-Re Dwardu VII, just in front of the Triton Fountain.

Valletta Bus Station is a modern L shaped open-air concourse with the majority of local routes departing from the ‘A’ bays nearest to the Triton Fountain, whilst longer routes depart from ‘B’ bays, around the corner from the main concourse. Day 2 and the first bus of the day departed from bay A2, the 10.10am No.1 to Isla with a journey time of 23 minutes. Isla (Senglea) with an area of just over half a square mile is the most densely populated locality in Europe. The bus terminates in the heart of the town by reversing into a two-bus bay in the town square. After an extensive walk around the undulating streets, the next journey was to be on the 12.56pm departure of route 124 from Isla to Marsaskala. However, the bus failed to arrive and some quick thinking was required to find an alternative way between the two towns. The next departure was service 1 to Valletta and the solution was to take this bus until it reached the main road and then change onto service 91 coming from Valletta and terminating in Marsaskala, which runs every 12 minutes. Service 91 enters Marsaskala along the sea front, passing the bus terminus and doing a loop around the headland before returning to the bus terminus. Once a Roman port, Marsaskala is home to around 12,000 inhabitants and a pleasant place to while away a couple of hours. Service 91 would provide us with a final journey of the day back to Valletta, departing Marsaskala through the narrow back streets before entering an area of open countryside and returning to the densely populated villages of Fgura and Paola. 

Day 3 is another warm sunny October day and this morning’s departure is 9.50am on route 74 from bay A5 in the bus station, alighting in Zurrieq. Not the prettiest of routes as it skirts the industrial warehouses around the perimeter of the airport before serving the villages of Mqabba and Qrendi. The majority of passengers alight at the Ħaġar Qim Park Visitor Centre just before the bus turns onto the coast road and the remainder of the passengers alight to walk down the hill and visit the Blue Grotto. We opt to remain on board and continue to Zurrieq in the hope of getting a seat on the next bus which is coming from the airport. Zurrieq town square with its public toilets and cafe claims to have a bus station, in reality it is a bus stop used by seven routes. This morning, the first bus to arrive is a Mercedes Benz Citaro driver trainer, departing just ahead of our bus which is the 10.54am service 201. The 201 is a scenic route along the south west coast road, retracing our previous route 74 as far as the turning for the Blue Grotto. This time turning off the coast road and travelling downhill to the village of Wied Iż-Żurrieq, passing several passengers who alighted from the 74 thirty minutes earlier. Thirty-four years ago at this point the driver stood up, touched the effigy of the Virgin Mary, made the sign-of-the-cross, sat back down, released the handbrake and coasted down the hill on a road more rustic than it is today. The remainder of the journey has far reaching sea and coastal views followed by historic towns and villages before climbing to the hill top city of Rabat and the fortified citadel of Mdina 47 minutes later. The evening return to Valletta is a case of standing at the central bus stop in Rabat and boarding the first bus that comes along, having a choice of six routes. However, on this evening there are wide gaps in the services, and by the time a bus arrives it becomes a scrum to board. Not for the first time we will learn that in Malta there is no such thing as a full bus.

ALSA, Malta Public Transport BUS 650, Otokar Vectio C (9.6-metre). Sitting at the Isla terminus.

Day 4 and the longest day. Service 41 departs from bay B6 at 9.30am heading for Cirkewwa, the departure point for the Gozo ferry. A journey time of 1hr 53mins with much of the first half through urban sprawl between Valletta and Mosta, before hitting open countryside on route to St. Paul’s Bay and the coast, climbing to Mellieħa before descending to Cirkewwa. The next challenge is running the gauntlet of sightseeing ticket touts that stand between the bus and ferry ticket office, with just enough time to purchase a €4.65 return ticket to Gozo. Once on-board, time for tea and buns before arrival at Gozo and facing the next line of sightseeing touts and scrum for the service bus. From this point the day is flexible, getting on the first bus that comes along. A surprise to find a new Foton electric bus, operating the short park & ride service to the top of the hill, is sitting at the bus stop. First normal service bus to arrive on the stop was operating route 323 to the capital Victoria via several small villages either side of the main road. Victoria (Rabat) is the capital of Gozo: it is known for the medieval Citadel and has a bus station in the town centre. After lunch and a good walk, by late afternoon we are back at the bus station in time to board service 310 for the eleven-minute journey to the seaside resort of Marsalforn. We remain onboard whilst the bus makes a one-way loop around the town and alight at a central bus stop, just a few yards from the seafront. This is a ‘bucket & spade’ resort with a pleasant promenade filled with bars and cafes. The final journey on Gozo is service 322 back to the ferry and it is a real surprise. This is the most scenic bus route on Gozo/Malta, climbing through open countryside visiting the villages of Xagħra and Nadur before descending into the ferry port. Once back on Malta it was another case of first bus to come along heading in the direction of Valletta or Sliema, and it turned out to be the 41. The twilight ride gave the opportunity to see how the urban areas transform after dark.

Final full day and a short 23-minute journey on service 2 from stand A2 in the Valletta bus station to Birgu. The route was scheduled to terminate in the town square, however after serving the waterfront we returned to the main road and headed up hill to the coach park outside the Inquisitors’ Palace. No word from the driver, but as the engine was turned off we assumed this was the end of the route. A short walk down into town explained all, the square was under reconstruction with no vehicular access. Birgu, population 2633, is an ancient maritime city known as ‘Citta Vittoriosa’ and is packed with history, artistic and architectural interest as well as moorings for large super yachts. Late in the day, we rejoined service 2 on the waterfront, heading for a ten-minute layover in the coach park before returning to Valletta. 

It’s the final day and after spending the morning mooching around Valletta, as the rain set in, we head for one final time to the bus station and stand B3 for the X4 back to the airport. 

Malta is a wonderful out of season destination, with mild sunny days and easy to navigate by bus. At €25 the seven-day bus ticket is great value, provided you don’t mind a numb bum.

BUS 294, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516CDi about to depart the bus station on service 133 Valletta Circular.

BUS 216, King Long Amigo Electric departs Valletta Bus Station.

BUS 892, arrives into Zurrieq on service 201 to Rabat.

GVN 834, Foton C10 EV operating the Mġarr (Gozo) park & ride service.

Victoria (Gozo) bus station.

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Unexpected electric.

 Warrington BV24 LUJ, Volvo BZL with MCV body departing from Warrington bus station.

The uncertainty began the moment I stepped outside the front door. The first service of the day was the 22 between West Kirby (Wirral) and Chester operated by Al’s: they lost the Happy a few years ago. The problem with this service is that early running is the norm rather than the exception and is linked to how long and how frequent the drivers like for a cigarette break. Unfortunately, speed and driving style also leave a lot to be desired. Previous experience had shown that the three-minute connection with the Traws Cymru service at Chester bus station was possible. But, the best laid plans……….

Today the bus came along on time (Optare Metrocity V1010MC B36F, ex New Adventure Travel), the journey was sedate and by the time we arrived in Chester, with a full load of passengers, we were seven minutes late. As the bus pulled into the bus station, the driver of the service into Wales gave our driver a cheery wave, and that was the connection gone. However, I had a plan B, by the time I strolled around the bus station concourse, waiting on the same stand as the bus I had just missed, was an Arriva X30 heading for Warrington and the opportunity to look at the new Volvo BZL/MCV electrics. The bus was standard Arriva DAF/Wright for the 1hr 22mins journey to Warrington via Frodsham and Runcorn. Saturday running times leave plenty of slack and there was time to admire Frodsham farmers market before circumnavigating the Runcorn Busway, a road system that always confuses me. We travelled at a leisurely pace, arriving a few minutes early into the modern Warrington bus station, with its adjoining large indoor shopping centre. At first glance, things did not look hopeful, only one electric bus and that was parked up, out of service. But first-things-first, lunch and loo.

What a difference a day makes: sorry wrong song. Thirty-minutes later and there was a sea of yellow in the bus station, with the electrics coming and going on several routes. Time for a ride, as befits the developing theme of the day, whatever comes in next will be the bus to board. As luck would have it, it turned out to be a 32 to Widnes Market, a convenient location for an onward service to Liverpool. The Volvo BZL did not disappoint, with a pleasant interior, well-spaced seats and clear audio-visual presentation and no intrusive rattles. The driver, whilst professional, was very keen to take advantage of the rapid, smooth acceleration, and on corners, there was a sensation that the bus was compensating for all the weight in the roof by somehow forcing itself into an upright stance. Not an unpleasant sensation, just unusual. The 32 proved an interesting route with plenty of variation over its short distance. Passing through traditional housing alongside the Old Liverpool Road, before a short sprint on a dual-carriageway and a one-way circuit of Penketh village which the audio-visual informed us was a hail and ride area. The final section was a tour of two large housing estates before entering Widnes via the old high street and finally the new edge of town shopping centre. Objective achieved and we arrived at Widnes. As per the theme of the day, whatever Liverpool bound service comes along first, I will jump on.

It turns out to be an 82A, operated by Arriva. Taking 1hr 18min, the route heads out of Widnes through two housing estates before hitting open countryside, passing through the villages of Halebank and Hale. Just a few yards after leaving the conservation village of Hale is the perimeter fence of Liverpool John Lennon Airport and it was a strange sight to be confronted by an Airbus A320 taxing to the end of the runway, ready for take-off. Before reaching the airport proper, there was the delight of Speke, a large housing estate that you would not want to linger in. The bus entered the airport via a back gate, requiring permission from security to pass through two barriers, with warning signs on the roadside telling drivers of financial penalties if they stop on the road. Plenty of time to spare at the airport bus station with the driver inviting any passengers who fancied a smoke to join him on the concourse. The final stretch of the bus journey started with a drive through the rundown area of Garston before turning onto the A561 for a long start/stop drag towards the city centre and into Liverpool One Bus Station.

After all that sitting down, a chance to stretch the legs, with an enjoyable walk along the waterfront before heading across the city centre to Sir Thomas Street and the final bus of the day. It was a case of boarding either the 471 or 472 whichever came along first. However the primary objective was to achieve a front seat on the top deck, this being the first double-decker of the day and enjoy the ride through the Mersey Tunnel. On weekdays this is not a problem because the services start at Cook Street, a quieter stop at the top of town, but at weekends the services turns short and boarding becomes a scramble. As luck would have it a 471 is the first bus to come along and one hour later it delivered me to the same stop I departed from eight hours earlier.

Phew, must be wine time.

BV24 LRJ parked in the bus station.

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Two days in Dunedin, New Zealand 2011.

 

Otago Road Services Ltd AQW935. Leyland Leopard PSU3E/2R with NZMB/Hess B45D body, new 1980 to Dunedin City Council Transport Department as JK3010. Transferred to Citibus Ltd in 1991, sold to Otago in 2002. Sold to Otago Heritage Bus Society Incorporated, Dunedin.

Dunedin is the administrative centre for the Otago region and the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand after Christchurch. It is a harbour city of about 134,000 people, almost one fifth of residents are students. Famously, Dunedin is home to Baldwin Street, which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the steepest street in the world. The first trolleybuses operated in 1950 and by the 1960s the city had 76 trolleybuses, however by 1983 all trolleybuses had gone.

Otago Road Services Ltd. FSM635, MAN SL202, Coachwork International B45D, new in 1986. ex MT9705; ex (620) MT9705, Red Bus Ltd, Christchurch. Sold to Tramway Historical Society Inc, Ferrymead, Christchurch.

Buses in Dunedin are organised by the Otago Regional Council. A total of 64 buses currently operates on 25 bus routes. Dunedin City Council-owned operator Citibus was the major operator until 2011 when Passenger Transport (New Zealand) purchased Citibus from Dunedin City Holdings, and was subsequently bought by Go Bus. In 2024 the operation is part of Kinetic NZ.

Otago Road Services Ltd. FDN478, MAN SL202 with CWI B57D body, new 1986 as NF2114 to Christchurch Transport Board later Red Bus (a City owned company). Changed registration November 2009. Sold to Otago Heritage Bus Society Incorporated, Dunedin and a later sale to Ferrymead Mens Shed (Canterbury Bus Museum), Christchurch.

In 2011 driving into the city centre from the south, you immediately came across the bus depot which is located at the junction of Princes Street and Melville Street, just south of the city centre and a short distance from the Octagon where most services passed through. One of the few advantages of cruise ships docking in a city is the amount of extra passenger traffic they create: a great benefit to the bus enthusiast as it proved on day two of our visit when vehicles from the second largest operator in the area, Otago Road Services, were out and about.

Passenger Transport Services CHW222, MAN 12.223 with Designline B39D body, new 2004. ex Citibus Ltd, Dunedin and Red Bus Ltd, Christchurch. In 2024 with Kinetic NZ at the Invercargill depot.

Established in 1947, Otago Road Services operated buses commercially and under contract to Otago Regional Council. The private routes that had run since the 1950s from Dunedin to Green Island, Abbotsford and Fairfield were lost in 1991 as a result of tendering by Otago Regional Council who took responsibility for the network of bus services in the late 1980s. Otago Road Services were successfully in regaining some routes in the 2002 tender round, however, were lost to Dunedin City Council-owned Citibus, in 2006 round of tenders. Otago continue to operate a fleet of private hire and school bus vehicles.

Passenger Transpot Services ATS393, MAN 10.155 with Ansair Orana B27D body, new 1997.

2024 update, gathered from local press reports.

The central bus hub, established in 2019, is now located on Great King Street. In 2023 Go Bus were reported to be planning to move the depot from Princes Street to Portsmouth Drive making way for residential development. Go Bus is introducing 16 new buses on urban routes, these will be Volvo B7 with Kiwi Bus Builders bodies. In early February 2024, Ritchies introduced 11 Yutong E10 battery electric buses to its fleet. 

Passenger Transport Ltd CHW221, MAN 12.223 with Designline B39D body, new 2004. Ex Citibus, Dunedin and Red Bus Ltd, Christchurch. In 2023 with Kinetic NZ at the Dunedin depot.

Citibus Ltd WA1240, Dennis Dart with Designline B39D body, new 1997 to Ritchies. Ex Red Bus Ltd, Christchurch. Now sold for non-PSV use.

Line-up at the Dunedin bus depot, located at the junction of Princes Street and Melville Street. Just a short walk from the city centre.

Dunedin bus depot with DZG301, MAN 10.150 with Designline B33D body dating from 1989 for sale. It was sold for non-PSV use. Note the Bristol VRT, registration TQ7480 in the background. 

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