Bus crackdown after problem vehicles still on the road

The transport ministry announced on Monday 40 Intercity buses will undergo technical inspections, after revelations that problematic buses were repeatedly put on the road.

Head of the public transport unit Andreas Nikiforos told the newspaper that Intercity had ordered a new fleet of buses but in the meantime, its older vehicles – that were still less than 20 years old and allowed on the road – were going to go through a series of technical checks.

The developments come after the Cyprus Mail reported that despite a series of inspections aimed at ensuring passenger safety, a bus known to have technical issues was put back on the road by Intercity without the problem being resolved.

The newspaper was made aware of four problematic buses in the span of a week.

These concerns have alerted officials at the transport ministry, and they are seeking to roll out more inspections in the next few weeks.

Nikiforos said Intercity had already rolled out 29 new buses and another 11 were expected to hit the road soon.

According to Nikiforos, the transport minister however wants to take inspections to the next level, and ensure the mechanics are adhering to all the requirements set forth by the bus manufacturers.

This is to further ensure public safety, he stressed.

Passengers the Cyprus Mail spoke to detail instances of drivers calling the company to report problems with the vehicles they were driving, only to be told by the company to “just keep driving” until in one case, the bus eventually broke down on the road, leaving people – including the elderly – stranded in the streets.

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said the ministry had stepped in since it received complaints over two Intercity buses and ordered the company to take the specific vehicles off the road until the problems are fixed.

Intercity was also instructed to submit a detailed report regarding the event.

Last week a bus driver was also hit by a car sustaining injuries to his legs after he went out of the vehicle to inspect it as the bus was making “strange noises”.