Transport collapse in Cyprus: 570 buses removed from routes

On the eve of Cyprus, 570 buses that did not meet safety requirements were removed from routes. The inspection of vehicles led to a real collapse: hundreds of routes were canceled, and thousands of people could not get to work or school.

According to local media, due to the absence of bus services, about 6 thousand schoolchildren and students across Cyprus stayed home. This accounts for 15% of students attending public educational institutions. About 800 workers who rely on public transport could not get to work.

The most significant problem occurred in the provinces of Paphos and Famagusta: here, every fifth student could not go to school. This is due to the fact that companies could not find other buses that meet the conditions for the safe transportation of passengers. In Larnaca and Nicosia, only 50% of routes were operational. Limassol suffered the least from the transport chaos.

It is noted that similar problems are expected today: the Ministry of Education is considering the possibility of distance learning for children who cannot be transported to school. Efforts are also being made to collaborate with private drivers who will provide transportation on specific routes.

Recall that the reason for vehicle inspections was an incident that occurred on Friday morning. A school bus carrying 40 children caught fire while in motion. Fortunately, none of the students were injured – they all managed to evacuate from the burning vehicle on time.

Over the past few months, this has been the fourth incident involving buses, including those transporting schoolchildren.

It was announced over the weekend that all bus models similar to the one that caught fire will be taken out of service for engine checks. After the incident, all bus companies will need certificates for the technical maintenance of their vehicles. They will be allowed to return to service after obtaining the technical maintenance certificate. In addition, automatic fire suppression systems are planned to be purchased for school buses in the near future.

The solution involves importing equipment from abroad, which is expected to arrive on the island within two weeks by ship.