The transport ministry announced on Wednesday new school bus fees for the start of the academic year.

The monthly student fare is set at five euros with a subsidy of €17, while the annual fare is set at €30 with a subsidy of €190 for each student.

The transport minister Alexis Vafeades in his announcement, said that from September 1, all children from large families studying in secondary and technical education would be exempt from paying bus fees.

Under the same scheme, free transport will be granted for the children of guaranteed minimum income beneficiaries.

Responding to a question about the door-to-door programme for primary school children, the minister said that the procedures continue as they did last year.

Despite voicing concerns about the lack of bus drivers, he highlighted the ministry’s efforts to “expand the routes for the door-to-door programme, and to make it as widely applicable as possible, both within the city and out.”

Finally, the ministry noted that these measures will not only make transportation affordable but will reduce road traffic.