Jan 19 – Opposition Questions Government’s Management Of Bus Tender Process
The GSD Opposition has today questioned the Government’s management of the bus tender process, which was awarded to Bassadone Motors, when the information the Opposition has at its disposal is that there was a substantially lower bid submitted by Denis Buses (i.e. the company which supplied the Blue Buses used on our roads over the last few years). The provision of this information is all the more important, says the GSD, when one considers that when all is said and done, the Bassadone Motors Buses “are plainly unsuitable for the community.”
“The complaints are coming in, thick and fast, about the new buses,” explained Transport spokesman, Selwyn Figueras. The GSD notes that “more and more people are complaining about the impracticality of some of the new buses' features and the lack of accessibility for some of the users who need them the most.” The Opposition adds that the Government is now looking into making changes - to brand new buses - to make them suitable “at significant added cost” it says.
One of the changes they are making, according to the GSD, is the removal of the slogan 'possibility in every direction' from the sides of the buses. Clearly, argues the GSD, the Government is “increasingly embarrassed” about the fact that the new buses, which they have allegedly gone to great lengths to ensure are perfect for Gibraltar, actually cannot be used on the routes taking passengers to Europa Point because stretches of Europa Road cannot cope with their weight. What we have now ended up with, says the Opposition, are buses that are the same size as the blue buses (it will be recalled, says the party, that the GSLP when in Opposition, “also moaned about the buses being too big”), yet “much more expensive” and “clearly not as good or as versatile.”
This, says the party, raises the question: why did they choose this particular tender out of those received? The information the Opposition has at its disposal is that Denis Buses put in a “substantially cheaper” bid than Bassadone Motors. When asked in Parliament to confirm or deny that, the Government refused to say either way and refused to disclose details of all the tenders submitted for this contract.
The GSD renews its call to Government to publish details of the unsuccessful tenders so that the Opposition and the community at large may be informed of the reasons why this lucrative, £5m contract was awarded to Bassadone Motors over the other tenderers.
