Nicosia, Cyprus. Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said every school bus in Cyprus will undergo a safety inspection before the next school year begins in September. He made the statement while addressing the House transport committee.
Inspection programme
Vafeades said the road transport department began a series of inspections last August and identified problems in the bus service. He said inspections will continue through the summer.
He said the goal is to inspect all buses, remove from service those that have not been properly maintained, and allow into service only those that meet the required specifications. He said there is no room for the process not to be completed by September and that school bus services will operate safely.
Roadworthiness requirements
Vafeades said a bus must have a three-month MOT certificate to be legally used for school services. He added that the ministry is inspecting not only the buses themselves but also evaluating the centres where buses are examined for roadworthiness.
He also said that during the next school year, besides the requirement for valid MOT certificates, sample inspections will be carried out at various points. He said the education ministry will partially outsource this initiative to the private sector.
Committee and party responses
Committee chairman and Elam MP Sotiris Ioannou said he plans for the issue of unroadworthy buses to be raised again at the committee after the summer recess.
He said the aim is to ensure that no bus posing a safety risk is on the roads transporting children.
Disy MP Charalambos Pazaros said children’s safety is non-negotiable. He said it is not acceptable for school buses to fail to appear on time for scheduled technical inspections or for vehicles deemed unsuitable to be used.
He called for stricter checks, effective implementation of existing rules, and deterrent sanctions against inspection centres that violate the rules.
Akel MP Yiannakis Gavriel said safety must be the first priority, but added that implementable measures are needed to encourage people to use buses. He said that instead of bus use increasing, people are moving away from it.