The new schedule for the Gozo Fast Ferry has been announced, and needless to say we as an organisation are deeply disappointed with this recent update. At the beginning of the week, Gozitan students were given good news upon the announcement of the possibility of free use of the Fast Ferry for students and educators, however as the matter has now panned out, such a positive step forward only led to a step backward with the introduction of the October timetable.
The timetable consists of 5 trips departing from Mgarr Gozo, and 4 trips departing from Valletta. It is unacceptable that more trips were held during the summer months when the majority of students had no lectures. The GUG wholeheartedly agrees with the discussion on making such a commute free for students and educators, however such a free service seems to be of no use to students if such a timetable persists during the scholastic year. We as an organisation were looking forward to improvements in the Gozitan students’ lives this upcoming scholastic year, in light of a myriad of meetings held during the summer months in lieu of such amelioration. However, it seems that such hope was short lived.
The lack of diversity in the newly published timetable is absurd in that students who commute on a daily basis would need to make use of a very early Fast Ferry albeit their lectures would start later on in the day, for a large gap in the ferry service may be noted, that between 7:00 and 13:15. Thus due to the large gap in the timetable, students are left with no choice but to make use of the Gozo Channel and risk using the X1. Moreover, workers and educators who are in close proximity to Valletta highly depended on the 15:15 and 16:15 Fast Ferry. However, now due to the recent developments such workers and educators now need to take the long route and travel all the way to Cirkewwa, thusly arriving home even later than usual. As may be seen by the above realities, the new timetable is troublesome not only to Gozitan students but even to educators and workers alike.
The commute to and from Gozo has been met year upon year with a variety of criticisms, to which includes the unreliability of the X1, the lack of timetable being provided for the X300, and the lack of trips being offered by the Gozo Fast Ferry. It is not the first time that a student has complained of the X1’s extreme tardiness, or else sometimes not even stopping due to the maximum capacity reached in the vehicle. Moreover, during the first week back to University, the GUG has received multiple messages requesting for the timetable of the X300 and whether or not such service is still in place in light of the lack of operation of the Fast Ferry due to stormy weather. This bus service has been in place since the 1st of June of 2021, and it seems preposterous that no fixed timetable has been set for this bus route, albeit its service is highly dependent on the weather. Furthermore, the GUG constantly attempts to contact Transport Malta on behalf of student who would have contacted us for further information. However, such attempt is futile since we end up receiving a reply the following day. A fixed timetable would be highly beneficial for students so as to decrease the amount of stress that may occur upon the possibility of stormy weather. Moreover, in light of the decrease in trips being offered by the Fast Ferry it should only be fitting that the fixed service of the X300 be reinstated so as to provide students, workers and educators with more choices for the commute back home. During the X300’s short time as a permanent bus route, such a service was well-founded by students and educators alike, for it provided them with a better alternative to its tardy and unreliable counterpart; the X1. Ergo, it may be seen from the previous year that the X300 had been a successful route for students and should therefore be re-introduced as a permanent bus route.
Albeit the GUG has attended various meetings on improving such commute, it seems that all such meetings were of no use. The voice of the Gozitan students, workers and educators are clearly not being heard nor being taken note of since no improvements have been made. The authorities in charge and in power over such operations are not keeping the Gozitan body in mind since if this was indeed the case, an improved service in both the Fast Ferry and the transport services would be seen, particularly with the start of the new scholastic year when such services are being used and relied on the most. The GUG is highly disappointed and exasperated with such an absurd update for this only brings to light that Gozitan students, educators and workers are not really taken into consideration during such instances.
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