Audit identifies gaps in Nicosia bus information, facilities and route reliability

Nicosia, Cyprus. An Audit Office report released on Wednesday identified serious shortcomings in information for passengers, facilities at bus stops and route reliability in Nicosia. Among those surveyed, 63 per cent said they would not take the bus again.

Information gaps and inaccurate locations

The audit found that information about the routes available was absent at 55 per cent of stops. Signs or QR codes supplied information at 32 per cent, while automated information systems were installed at just 13 per cent.

The report also highlighted inaccuracies on the website and in the Pame application. In some instances, the locations shown for stops were between 85 and 135 metres from their actual positions.

Auditors identified erroneous timetables, discrepancies across information sources and listings for stops that had already been removed.

Shelter, seating and maintenance

According to the report, 32 per cent of stops lacked shelter, while a further 22 per cent had neither seating nor shelter.

Auditors assessed pavement condition as good at 87 per cent of stops and cleanliness as satisfactory at 74 per cent. Nevertheless, they documented several instances of strong smells, waste build-up and vandalism.

Improvements across the transport system

The report said improvements were needed throughout the transport chain, rather than simply providing buses and applications. It called for an integrated system that passengers could rely on.

Auditor General Andreas Papakonstantinou said the objective was to make public transport genuinely appealing and competitive with private cars by offering a dependable, straightforward and financially beneficial service.