In accordance with an agreement to immediately resume, effective today, September 23, the two school bus routes in Nicosia and Larnaca—which had been temporarily suspended due to incidents of vandalism and safety concerns— the relevant authorities have reached an agreement following intensive consultations, according to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works.
A statement from the Ministry notes that it took charge of coordinating the relevant parties and, at the initiative of the Minister of Transportation, convened a meeting yesterday, Tuesday, September 22, a meeting aimed at finding a solution that would ensure both the safety of students and drivers and the unimpeded transportation of children to and from their schools.
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The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Transportation, Communications, and Public Works; the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Transportation, Communications, and Public Works, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth and the Parents’ Confederations, as well as the contractor Cyprus Public Transport (CPT).
It is added that measures were put forward for consideration at the meeting, which will be discussed in detail at an expanded meeting on Monday.
Among other things, it is noted that “the immediate deployment of security guards and/or inspectors on buses serving these specific routes is planned, while representatives of the Parents’ Associations will conduct on-site monitoring during the first few days after service resumes.”
Only buses equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) will operate on these specific routes to prevent further incidents and to record them when they occur.
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Meanwhile, the announcement continues, the Pan-Cyprian Confederation of Federations of Parents’ Associations of Public Secondary Schools will immediately arrange meetings with the parents and guardians of the students involved in the incidents, with the aim of addressing them in cooperation with the relevant school authorities.
Close cooperation with the Cyprus Police is also being sought, both to identify those responsible and to promptly investigate the incidents, so that the prescribed procedures can be carried out on an individual basis without the need to suspend the entire route.
It is reported that damage to the vehicles will be repaired immediately so that the buses can return to full operation.
These measures, as well as broader issues concerning the safety of student transportation by bus, will be further discussed at a new meeting on Monday, September 28, 2026, at the Ministry of Transportation, Communications, and Public Works, following an initiative by the Minister.
The Minister of Education, Sports, and Youth; the Minister of Justice and Public Order; the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data; the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications, and Public Works, the Pan-Cyprian Confederation of Federations of Parents’ Associations of Public Secondary Schools, the contracting companies, and other relevant stakeholders.
The Ministry emphasizes that “incidents of lawlessness, vandalism, and behavior that endanger safety on public transportation cannot be tolerated.” At the same time, it notes that “individual incidents must be addressed in a targeted manner, without depriving all students of access to the transportation service.”
The Ministry thanks all stakeholders for their constructive approach to resolving the issue promptly.
Source: CNA
