Filenews 29 March 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
Despite the practical difficulties created in all areas of daily activity by the pandemic, the work of creating the modern central public transport station and the 173 modern bus stops within the municipal area of Paphos continues seamlessly and rapidly. This project also essentially marks the practical start of the processes for the transformation of Paphos into a smart city, since planning for modern public transport has a central role in the cases of cities that turn into smart cities.
These 173 points have been categorised into three categories, depending on whether bus stops can cover eight passengers or four or whether they are merely points where there is no shelter but only a sign indicating a bus stop. The preferred bidder will bear the cost of installing the stops, maintaining them and repairs that may be needed during the 10-year contract signed. After the end of the contract, bus stops will be delivered to the municipality in a fully operational state.
The new shelters will be modern constructions in terms of construction material, with European standards, will offer wi-fi, will include screens for advertising and bus routes. Where there are only signs of stopping and not a shelter, it is up to the preferred bidder whether to place roofs there too or whether, due to low traffic, it maintains the current situation.
At the same time, the relevant process continues rapidly in the tourist area with the transfer of the transit station from the port to the Tombs of the Kings and the new infrastructure that will be created in the place where the station was formerly occupied within the parking lot of the archaeological park.
A similar initiative is being promoted by the Ministry of Transport at Cyprus level, but during contacts with representatives of the Municipality of Paphos it was decided that municipalities that are already at an advanced stage of the process, as is the case with Paphos, could proceed on their own to the relevant competition.
