First electric urban buses added to Cyprus Public Transport fleet

The first electric urban buses have been presented by Cyprus Public Transport and will be added in its existing fleet to commence servicing routes in the coming days.

The move aims to contribute to efforts for a sustainable and greener public transport, the company said.

A press release from CPT said new Yutong electric buses are fully accessible, 12 metres long with a maximum capacity of up to 80 passengers, including priority seats as well as a wheelchair area. The electric buses can operate from morning to evening on a single daily charge. They all have air conditioning and are equipped with 5G Wi-Fi, closed circuit surveillance cameras and USB chargers, with no engine noise or vibration.

The use of electric buses aims to contribute to the efforts of the Ministry of Transport Communications and Works to offer sustainable and greener public transport to citizens as well as alternative modes of travel, the CPT said.

Minister of Transport Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades said electric buses will contribute to the reduction of air pollution and noise on our roads thus improving the quality of life of citizens. At the same time the use of electric vehicles in the public transport system encourages the adoption of sustainable and clean energy sources, he added.

Felipe Cosmen, Cyprus Public Transport’s Chairman, said that the company has long term targets to continue to make public transport even more attractive and find feasible solutions that will significantly support the ministry’s efforts to minimise the traffic congestion problem, especially in Nicosia.

A new project that CPT is currently studying in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works is for Mass Rapid Transit, which with the right infrastructure and adequate resources will be able to transfer a big number of passengers quickly, frequently and comfortably from the GSP area to the city centre. The aim of the service is to increase the demand in public transport by offering more frequent and direct routes thus drastically reducing the traffic congestion.

During the press conference, the Minister announced the launch of the DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) pilot programme which will be offered to specific citizen groups. In the first phase the pilot programme will be offered to people with disabilities who already use public transport, where they will be able to request for the next day, a bus ride from a bus stop closest to their home directly to their final destination and vice versa.

(Source: CNA)