As schools across Cyprus reopened on Monday, traffic congestion has returned to its normal levels, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said.

Speaking to state broadcaster CyBC, Vafeades acknowledged that the country’s road network “is currently unable to accommodate the growing volume of vehicles.

“In response, the government is implementing mid- and long-term strategies, including encouraging more students to use buses for their daily commute,” Vafeades said.

Currently, around 18,500 students rely on buses for transportation. The minister said that the goal is to convince an additional 2,000 students nationwide to opt for bus travel.

“Our goal is to attract at least 2,000 students onto the buses, and if we manage to remove 500 cars from the streets of Limassol and 500 cars from the streets of Nicosia, it will mean that these two cities, which suffer from heavy traffic, will see a notable reduction in congestion,” he said.

Two days before classes began last week, student bus fares were slashed.

The decision followed a directive from President Nikos Christodoulides’ office and is part of the government’s broader social policy.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, which will last until August 31, 2025, the monthly student fare will be set at €5, while the annual fare will cost €30.

When asked on Monday about afternoon traffic issues related to students attending private lessons, Vafeades said that “discussions are underway with local mayors and other officials to facilitate bus transportation under municipal coordination”.

Last year, the Limassol bus company EMEL reached agreements with the municipalities of Ypsonas and Germasogeia to establish routes serving students travelling to and from schools and private lessons in the afternoons.

Ypsonas mayor Pantelis Georgiou said the initiative, which involved the introduction of new, smaller, and more flexible buses, aimed to breathe new life into the public transport system and specifically facilitate student transport.

The minister added that by the end of September, the effectiveness of the new Nicosia ring road in easing traffic congestion at the entrance to the capital will become clearer.