‘Department of public works’ rigid attitude raises questions about whether it listens to expert advice’

The design of new ‘smart’ bus stops across the country is “unprecedented and unacceptable” due to poor visibility for passengers and drivers, the Audit Office said on Tuesday in a report into the issue, in which it also criticised the department of public works.

Auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou criticised the public works department because the original designs did not include the mistakes now seen. He claimed the errors arose after interventions and changes pushed through by the department.

The bus stops have created a host of controversy with people complaining that they have been installed the wrong way round. The audit office report, however, said the stops were indeed placed correctly.

However, it pointed out that the design places the bench against a solid pillar, which is not transparent, so the passengers’ view of oncoming buses and drivers’ view of people waiting at the stops is blocked.

Even after heated public debate and discussions in the House transport committee, the department of public works insisted its design was correct.

The Audit Office described this stance as worrying, questioning why officials could not recognise what it called a “blatantly obvious issue.”

A key problem, the report says, is that all five alternative designs proposed by the technical consultant placed the bench on the right side of the shelter. The department of public works’ chosen design, however, shifted the bench to the left, further restricting sightlines.

And although the bus stops have not been installed backwards, the Audit Office said the visibility problem stems from how key elements like the pillar and bench were positioned.

International standards demand clear lines of sight between passengers and approaching vehicles. In the examples reviewed by the Audit Office, bus shelters worldwide either leave the side facing traffic open or build it with transparent materials.

The Cyprus design defies this norm.

Papaconstantinou added that the department of public works’ rigid attitude raises questions about whether it listens to expert advice. He stressed that even a simple site visit proves the lack of visibility, requiring no complex technical analysis.

The report revealed further issues. The original design proposal, which scored 96 per cent in early evaluations, had the pillar on the right side instead of the left.

Moreover, the technical consultant told auditors he had never approved the final designs. He said the installed shelters do not match his initial plans.

The auditor-general also noted that after parliamentary discussions began, the pace of installing these shelters suddenly accelerated. This, he warned, might create a situation where the shelters remain in place despite their flaws.

Delays plague the project’s rollout. Over a year has passed since phase 2 was meant to finish, but no part of the scheme has been fully completed or formally delivered.

The nationwide project carries a price tag of €62 million, funded by both European and national resources.