New buses, a total of 150, ordered by the Limassol Passenger Transport Company (EMEL), will be on their way to Cyprus from China in the last ten days of January, including 35 electric ones for the city centre, and are expected to arrive at the beginning of February. According to EMEL Director George Kyriakou, there were delays in the transfer of gearboxes from Germany to China, due to the war in Ukraine, but also due to the new outbreak of the pandemic in the Asian country, but now the buses are ready.
EMEL has ordered another 27 small buses for the rural part of Limassol from a representative in Cyprus, (which come from Europe) and although it sounds paradoxical, as Mr. Kyriakou pointed out, these will be delayed longer than those from China. He expressed the hope that they will also arrive by May-June, adding however, that he does not have a final date of arrival.
Given this fact, EMEL will keep around 20 of the old buses until the summer. "Of course the 150 new buses will make it possible for the older ones that will actually remain for a few months, to be the best of the rest, so the old buses that people have been complaining about for years, and quite rightly so, to be retired", Mr. Kyriakou pointed out. When the new EMEL fleet is received in its entirety, the average age of the buses will be effectively reduced to zero.
As Mr. Kyriakou told us, EMEL will shortly apply to the Public Works Department for the Transit station which is planned to be built on Eolos Street and the Epaminondas plot. This piece of land was acquired by the Limassol Municipality and the Ministry of Transport, based on an agreement that includes the construction of the station, which in order to proceed requires the settlement of some issues (seen as a formality) between the Company and Public Works Department.
Regarding the large depot that EMEL is planning to build, Gεοργε Kyriakou told us that a response is expected from the owner of the lot near Monovolikos Industrial Complex (that certain conditions have been met), so that the deal is signed, and construction can begin. The assessment of the EMEL director of EMEL is that given the general situation in Cyprus and abroad, the procedures for the new Limassol transport are progressing at a satisfactory pace.
