The president of the Public Transport Association (ATP) Victor Spiteri has declared his association will refuse any requests for segregated bus routes for immigrants to Hal Far, despite previous demands from local councils.
“Such a service would be tantamount to racial discrimination. We have refused such demands in the past,” Spiteri said.
His comments come a day after bus drivers were back in the spotlight over discriminatory behaviour towards black people, when the driver of a bus on route 64 tried to stop four women – three of African origin and another from East-Asia – from boarding.
The Malta Transport Authority stated it would be taking all the necessary disciplinary action.
Spiteri said the local councils in the vicinity of Hal Far had also voiced objections made by the residents using Bus 13, because the buses were always packed. But he declared he would not allow the association to be submitted to any accusations of discrimination.
The proposal was mentioned in a controversial statement by Labour MP Joe M. Sammut in parliament recently, when he claimed Birzebbugia residents were finding it difficult to board public transportation because of nearby residents from the Hal Far immigration reception centre.