WAITING in traffic jams costs Cyprus some €100 million a year in man-hours lost, a cost that is reflected in lost productivity, Minister of Communications and Works Nicos Nicolaides said yesterday announcing a number of upgrades to the island’s bus system.
Speaking at a news conference in Nicosia, Nicolaides said the upgrades would be introduced on July 1, 2010 and will include improvements to the vehicles used, bus interiors, bus stops, calculation of fares, “and much more”, as an initial step in the development of an island-wide public transport network.
He said this first step had followed public surveys, a number of studies and a series of negotiations and that the planned improvements in the bus system that would help it work efficiently, punctually and comfortably on an island-wide basis, was necessary before other forms of public transport were developed.
Currently, a total of approximately 60 per cent of existing bus companies are participating in the government’s plans, but Nicolaides states he was “confident” that the remaining 40 per cent, who have not yet agreed to participate in the scheme, would join in as the scheme develops.
Currently Cypriots cover 14 million kilometers per year by bus annually. The aim of the scheme is to increase this to 40 million kilometers.
The minister said that in negotiations that will follow until follow until December 3 to iron out the details by which six main bus companies will be operating routes in Cyprus – one company for each of the main districts plus one for inter-urban routes.
“To get this far it was a difficult process. Many difficulties were encountered and many challenges addressed to attain a major political goal of this government, the goal being a viable public transport system.” said Nicolaides.
The proposed system aims to have every village in Cyprus served by at least one bus a day, primarily so that elderly people can get to hospital.
The minister commented that in order to get the scheme working effectively, strict parameters over punctual and regular service, and the quality and condition of bus stops and routes covered needed to be introduced.
“If we want to be taken seriously as a state in terms of our provision of public transport then we have to take it seriously and provide a good service.” said Nicolaides.
According to EU directive 13/70, which comes into effect on December 3, 2009, all public transport must be provided for by means of open public tender (by private companies) with the state acting as the overall regulator and subsidising where necessary.
Though it is anticipated that the bulk of the cost will be met by local municipalities, it is estimated that state subsidisation of the scheme will amount to €44 million per year, up from its current cost of approximately €30 million.
The new planned fare structure calculate fares in a standardised way on a per-kilometer-cost basis rather than the particular route travelled as is currently the case.
