Traffic congestion, school bus safety, speed cameras, TAKATA airbags, taxi licenses, and major road projects were the focus of the first meeting of the new Parliamentary Committee on Transportation, Communications, and Public Works, which took place on Thursday in the presence of Minister of Transportation, Communications, and Public Works Alexis Vafeadis.

The session was primarily intended to introduce the new members of the Committee to the Ministry’s priorities and pending issues, with all parties expressing their intention to work closely together to address issues that affect citizens’ daily lives.

Transportation Minister Alexis Vafeadis, in remarks following the session, described the atmosphere of the first meeting as particularly positive, noting that there was “an exceptional spirit of cooperation” between the Ministry and Parliament to resolve the problems facing society.

Referring to traffic issues, he said that the challenges faced particularly by Limassol were discussed, noting that the addition of approximately 10,000 new vehicles annually makes managing the problem even more complex.

As he noted, addressing the situation requires a new road network, which involves time-consuming procedures, and he added that the Ministry and the House of Representatives agreed to work together to find solutions. At the same time, he said there would be an update on the actions planned in Limassol, including the categorization and prioritization of 60 roads that the district’s mayors have identified as priorities.

Regarding the safety of school buses, Mr. Vafeadis noted that the Ministry informed the Committee about the initiative to conduct inspections of school buses in order to evaluate the operations of private vehicle inspection centers.

As he said, the Ministry seeks to ensure that all procedures are carried out safely, noting that penalties have been imposed on those who failed to comply, while some companies have also been referred to the courts.

“The Ministry’s efforts to promote road safety and student safety are continuing and intensifying. We’ve had all this negative experience with the buses, but we’re continuing the initiatives we’ve launched and will keep implementing them,” he said.

For his part, Sotiris Ioannou, Chair of the Transportation Committee and ELAM MP, stated that during the session, committee members raised a number of issues, including speed cameras, tanker trucks, TAKATA airbags, the new legislation on taxi licenses and the operation of the taxi system, juvenile detention centers, public works, and the safety of school buses.

He noted that the Committee had unanimously decided to include for discussion at its next meeting, this coming Thursday, the issue of school buses, with the participation of all relevant stakeholders.

As he said, the discussion will focus both on the Audit Office’s report and on the findings of the Ministry of Transportation’s own inspections.

“When it comes to safety issues, and especially those involving children, we must be uncompromising and strict,” he said, adding that the goal is to resolve the problems before the start of the new school year to prevent accidents or other unpleasant incidents.

Mr. Ioannou also noted that the Committee is facing a large and demanding portfolio of issues that directly affect citizens’ daily lives, emphasizing that ELAM will continue to act constructively, supportively, yet firmly on issues falling within the Committee’s purview.

DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros placed particular emphasis on the traffic problem and the condition of the road network, noting that citizens’ daily lives are made more difficult by deficiencies in basic infrastructure.

As he said, major roads have gone for decades without any substantial upgrades, making specific reference to the Paphos district.

He also noted that the Democratic Alarm has submitted proposals and legislative initiatives concerning issues under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, as well as problems observed in various departments due to understaffing.

He made special mention of the Road Transport Department, which, he said, is facing serious difficulties that are causing hardship for hundreds of citizens.

At the same time, he expressed strong concern about the information that has been made public regarding school buses and the way technical inspections are conducted.

“As DISY, we will strive—through cooperation, in a spirit of unity, and always with the public interest in mind—to resolve as many of the issues facing the Ministry as possible, and to the best of our ability,” he said.

DIKO MP Giorgos Savvides expressed his party’s intention to continue constructive cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, noting that the common goal is to address outstanding issues.

Referring to the issue of school buses, he emphasized that one should not get the impression that the Ministry was unaware of the problems documented in the Audit Office’s report.

As he noted, several of the issues had already been identified by the Ministry itself, and corrective measures had been taken, while the Audit Office’s new findings will be used to ensure that the student transportation system operates safely starting in September.

“Our children must be transported safely, because this is a program that has been successful,” he said.

Mr. Savvides also raised the issue of the Paphos – Polis Chrysochous road, noting that the project should move forward immediately and calling for a clear timeline for the start of construction.