Critical student bus routes axed due to safety directive

In a directive, the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works has announced that starting Monday, December 4, 2023, buses lacking a specific automatic engine fire extinguishing system are prohibited from operating routes.

Cyprus Public Transport assures the public that its main fleet is equipped with cutting-edge safety technology, unaffected by this directive. All services in the Nicosia and Larnaca districts will continue without interruption.

However, certain buses from the subcontractor fleet, responsible for school routes in Nicosia and Larnaca, lack the required fire extinguishing system. As a result, these buses will be unable to operate specific school routes until further notice.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this uncontrollable measure and want to assure our customers that our team is diligently working to restore services promptly. Our commitment to providing safe transport remains unwavering.

As of this morning and until further notice, a few buses with more than 22 seats, serving students through EMEL subcontractors, are temporarily withdrawn from public school service (high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools). This withdrawal only impacts specific routes, as these buses lack a designated automatic engine fire extinguishing system.

According to an EMEL announcement, the affected routes include Mutayakka-Linopetra High School (D7), Polemidia-Polemidia High School (B3), Nikos Evagorou (Palodia)-Agia Fila High School (A11), and several others listed in the statement.

The decision follows a directive from the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works received on December 3, 2023, instructing the immediate suspension of services for buses with over 22 seats that lack an automatic fire extinguishing system. EMEL emphasizes that buses on regular urban and regional routes, covered by ministry guidelines, are equipped with modern European-standard automatic fire extinguishing systems.

The temporary withdrawal from serving public school students is due to the absence of an automatic fire extinguishing system in the engine compartment, a requirement not in European regulations before September 1, 2021, when the buses in question were registered.

We want to inform you that, in accordance with the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works decision, buses without an automatic engine fire extinguishing system will be temporarily sidelined from public passenger transport, including Student Routes, starting Monday, 04/12/2023.

While the company disagrees with this decision, it is obliged to comply. Unfortunately, due to the impact on several buses and time constraints, some student routes and urban/regional routes will not operate on Monday, 4/12/2023.

Further announcements regarding the operational routes will be made daily until the required systems are installed. Our company is actively working to locate and install the necessary equipment promptly.

We apologize for any inconvenience and will keep you updated on any developments.

Nicosia

Larnaca