QUESTIONS over why bus contract negotiations went wrong could be answered next week as Environment tries to explain its position to deputies.

But the public could be left in the dark after Island Coachways refused to waive its confidentiality agreement, even though the department promised to protect commercially sensitive information.

The island faces being left without a bus service in a matter of months.

Environment will hope to quash calls for a vote of no confidence and dispel criticism that it has mishandled the situation following the operator’s decision to walk away from negotiations, deeming the contract to be financially unviable.