Cyprus’ Road Transport Department has said the technical problems raised in the Auditor General’s memorandum on school bus safety were not unknown to the authorities, noting that a series of targeted inspections had already identified defects in vehicles used to transport pupils.
According to the department, around 70% of the school transport fleet was inspected by the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The findings, it said, have already shaped the instructions issued ahead of the next academic year, with all bodies involved in the service told to apply safety rules strictly and take into account both the department’s additional checks and the recommendations of the Audit Office.
The response follows the publication of the Auditor General’s memorandum, which placed renewed scrutiny on the condition of school buses and the effectiveness of the checks carried out before vehicles are allowed to operate.
The Road Transport Department said extraordinary sample inspections at official Motor Vehicle Inspection Centres had found buses with technical problems that had not been recorded during previous checks at private inspection centres. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the defects, those vehicles were either repaired and returned to service or removed permanently from the school transport fleet.
The department said student safety remains its main priority and that inspections are continuing, alongside the enforcement of contractual and legal obligations and efforts to strengthen supervision of the service.
It also recalled that, following instructions from the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, school buses have in recent years been required to pass a technical inspection within three months before the start of each school year. This requirement applies in addition to the checks already provided for under existing legislation.
The department said it has also taken corrective action against contractors who failed to comply with instructions for vehicles to be presented on time at official inspection centres. In such cases, contractual penalties have been imposed.
A separate investigation is under way into cases where buses had been approved by private inspection centres but were later judged unsuitable during checks at official centres. Where violations are substantiated, the department said the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Technical Inspection and Inspection Centres Law will be applied, including the penalties provided for by law.
Further measures are also planned for private inspection centres. The department said repeat training will be arranged for staff who carry out technical checks on heavy vehicles, with the aim of improving the reliability and quality of inspections.
In the Famagusta district, where school buses were found operating without a valid certificate of roadworthiness, investigation files have already been prepared and sent to the Police for further action.
The department added that contractors have received strict instructions to check the condition of the fleet used for school transport, while financial penalties have also been imposed under the relevant concession contracts.
Source: CNA
