Malta system up for grabs as Arriva qmits

摘要

Arriva's troubled operation of Malta's bus service has ended. The British-based group -owned by German state railway Deutsche Balm (DB) - pulled out on 31 December. Government-controlled Transport Malta took over on New Year's Day, directly operating the network in Malta and Gozo pending another international tendering process to select a new operator before the end of the year. Transport Malta has taken over Arriva's fleet of over 200 buses - most bought new for the start of the intended 10-year contract in July 2011 - along with its IT system and workforce. Maltese press reports say that it also is taking on up to €15million (£12.5million) of the reported €50million (£42million) debt that Arriva has accumulated in its two-and-a-half years of operating in the island state. DB and Arriva are said to be absorbing the remainder of the debt.