A total of 40 teenagers who participated in the Space and Steame Summer Camp in Paphos dedicated part of their programme last week to European environment projects.

The objectives and benefits of a European programme for the creation of environmentally friendly routes in tourist areas were presented last Friday to the students of the Paphos municipality’s space and steame camp at the Paphos Innovation Institute.

The 40 students from all over Cyprus, aged 15 to 17, were informed about the purpose of the prgramme involving the municipalities of Heraklion, Paphos, Chania and Aradippou. For Paphos the main achievement has been the supply of an electric bus, the installation of a charging station and the development of a transport app and information system with “QR code”.

The main objectives are to create incentives for the use of environmentally friendly means of urban transport, to enhance access to more user-friendly information services, thus increasing the accessibility and attractiveness of areas and to create the right conditions for e-mobility.

The pilot operation of the bus takes in two circular “green” routes, a morning one in the historic centre of the city and an afternoon route in the tourist area of Kato Paphos. For real-time information on the two routes, stops, arrival/departure times of the bus as well as historical/tourist points of interest in the area, the public can download the web application “Explore Pafos”to their mobile phone from Google play and Apple Store.

The stops of the electric bus are fitted with “QR Code” signs from which the public can scan the codes on their mobile phone.

The summer school on Space and Steame (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship) started on July 13 and ended on July 17. During their training, the municipality provided free meals to the students, as well as free transportation to and from their training and their accommodation.

It was organised by the Paphos municipality in collaboration with the Bank of Cyprus, the IDEA Innovation Centre, Israel’s Herzliya Science Centre of Israel, the Cyprus Mathematical Society and THALIS Foundation.