Only 20 people have applied for free bus travel cards, despite approximately 10,000 vehicles being immobilised as part of the Takata airbag recall, according to Road Transportation Department officer Konstantinos Koupis.

Speaking to Trito, Koupis said that from an initial list issued in February identifying 81,000 vehicles affected by the recall, 5,700 remain pending airbag replacement, representing a 90 per cent implementation rate.

Distributors have reported that replacement appointments are available and ongoing, with parts in stock for all manufacturers except one brand, for which deliveries are delayed until January.

A further 19,500 vehicles were later added to the affected list, beyond the original 81,000. Of these, up to 4,500 are still awaiting airbag replacement, corresponding to a 77 per cent implementation rate. These vehicles are not immobilised and are subject to the standard eight-month grace period for replacement, which applies in cases of health or financial hardship.

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In total, around 10,200 vehicles should currently be immobilised.

The recalls concern faulty airbags manufactured by Japanese company Takata. When exposed to high levels of heat or humidity, the airbags may explode upon deployment, propelling the metal inflator outwards towards the vehicle’s occupants.

This can cause serious injury or, in some cases, death.

The first immobilisations began in early October, when authorities revoked road tax and MOT certificates for unrepaired Citroen, Ford, and Jeep vehicles, after an eight-month grace period from February.

On February 5, cabinet approved free bus travel for owners of immobilised vehicles under government airbag and other fault decrees. Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that drivers voluntarily immobilising their vehicles qualify too.

Eligible owners receive “motion cards”, which can be scanned on any bus across Cyprus. The cards will be cancelled once the recall process is completed and the vehicles return to use.

Despite this, Koupis said that only around 20 vehicle owners out of more than 10,000 eligible applicants have so far applied for free public transport cards.

On 5 November, cabinet also approved subsidies for eligible individuals, setting criteria of owning only one immobilised vehicle, having booked a replacement appointment with the manufacturer’s distributor, and belonging to categories including single parents, low-pensioners, large families, minimum guaranteed income recipients, or owners of disabled vehicles.

Koupis said payments, amounting to a lump sum of €100 per week of immobilisation, were processed on Thursday and reached approximately 200 beneficiaries.