The objective is for Limassol to acquire an upgraded and efficient public transport network, operating in a healthy environment, according to George Kyriakou, Director of the Limassol Bus Company, who, emphasizing the degree of interdependence of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) with public transport, called it a "blessing and curse", depending on the degree of SUMP’s implementation.
The company announced that it will conduct two annual independent surveys of service quality and passenger satisfaction with the aim of continuous improvement, while during the months of May and June an educational bus will visit schools, in order to acclimatize 6th grade primary school students to public transport. As far as technology is concerned, electronic live information screens will be placed in 60 places and Digital live information and help applications will be created for mobile phones and internet.
Mr. Kyriakou made special reference to the telematics direct information system that will inform passengers exactly when the bus will arrive, "even if it is 5 minutes late", as he characteristically said. All buses will have accessibility features, while in partnership with an innovation company, innovative solutions will be provided, e.g. for the convenience of visually impaired passengers.
The company will also carry out specialized surveys of the needs of disabled passengers in collaboration with the Cyprus Federation of Disabled Persons. To support the implementation of the SUMP as well, the company will install bicycle racks on 75 buses on routes that will be determined by road conditions and the needs of cyclists. There will be further continuous adaptation of the network and infrastructure in cooperation with the local Authorities, in line with the implementation of SUMP. The new fleet of 177 low-emission buses, including 35 electric ones for the city center, is expected to arrive in early 2023. New Minibus and long-distance buses will also be launched in the Limassol district.
Based on SUMP provisions, eight park and ride spots should be created, four on the Limassol outskirts and another four on the bypass.
