Further to its initial statement on recent media coverage concerning the design and construction of the new bus stop shelters—and the detailed explanatory note submitted to the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications and Works on April 3, 2025—the Public Works Department notes that the designer’s written statement, along with his unclear public comments, make it necessary to provide additional information to clarify the points raised. Specifically:
- The design commissioned to the Cyprus-based industrial design company, Demades Design Ltd, was based on the Accessible Bus Stop Design Guidance used by Transport for London, which outlines best practices for bus shelter placement in the UK. These standards were reflected in the project implementation study agreed upon by the designer and the Public Works Department, which included positioning the bus stop pole or sign in front of the shelter. This implementation study was completed prior to the submission of the designer’s preliminary proposals.
- In line with his contract, the designer submitted preliminary proposals for five different types of shelters, presented as complete systems (pillar, small shelter, and large shelter with extension options). For each proposal, he outlined the pros and cons, assigned scores, and ranked them accordingly. Notably, in all five proposals, the pillar in question was positioned exactly as it is being installed today. There has been no change to its placement—it remains as originally proposed. Furthermore, in the case of the shelter that was initially smaller in size, the bench is being implemented as originally planned.
- It is worth noting that although the designer repeatedly avoided clarifying the position of the pillar in many of his public statements, during the Parliamentary Committee on Transport session held on 03/04/2025, as well as in various media appearances and his interview with Politis tis Kyriakis newspaper, he explicitly stated that there was no design error. The size of the shelter follows his original design, which he himself described as innovative.
- The Public Works Department stands by the integrity of the design and, throughout the development of the final construction model, requested a series of improvements—something the designer himself has confirmed. For example, the Department asked for the roof to be extended to adequately cover the bench, ensure sufficient space for people with disabilities and standing passengers, and provide added protection by including a glass panel at the back.
- Currently, out of approximately 5,150 bus stop locations across Cyprus, only around 1,400 have shelters—both in urban and rural areas—and most of these are in need of repair or replacement. The rest of the stops consist only of a pole with a sign. To achieve broader coverage, the tender includes provisions for a significant number (1,350) of medium-sized expandable shelters, intended for installation in urban areas with lower passenger traffic, where in most cases there is currently only a pole and limited space.
- Contrary to the designer’s claims that he was unaware of the extent to which this specific shelter type would be used, it is noted that the number of shelters was mentioned repeatedly in the Department’s presentations and announcements, and is also included in the preliminary tender documents—which were submitted by the designer himself as part of his contract.
- Additionally, in contrast to the designer’s statements, it is clarified that the pillar-only type (Type A) is intended specifically for installation in historical town centers, where sidewalks are even narrower, or in front of heritage buildings that must remain unobstructed.
- The designer inaccurately stated—both in his written note and in public comments—that the contractor has made unjustified changes that interfere with the design and specifications of the tender. In reality, the tender documents explicitly required the contractor to introduce modifications to resolve various construction challenges and to develop design solutions necessary for the industrial production of the shelters.
The tender documents called for a series of optimizations, including adjustments to the foundation, adaptability to sloped terrain—which explains the modified height of the bench leg—and structural improvements aimed at achieving better pricing, ensuring secure panel installation, enhancing user safety and protection, certifying anti-vandal material properties, applying waterproofing, and reducing vibration in the medium-sized shelter.
Moreover, each final shelter type required a structural study based on European standards for static and dynamic loads, seismic resistance, and wind gusts up to 120 km/h. These were reviewed by both an independent structural engineer and the Public Works Department. The structural study submitted by the designer’s own collaborator applied to his preliminary design and only covered the safe construction and placement of the prototypes installed in public space—these were reviewed by the Department accordingly.
- The designer claimed that only one prototype had been approved and that nine others were still pending, also alleging he has been excluded from the process. The facts are that the contractor has already built seven of the ten prototypes, covering all shelter types: two types of pillars, a medium-sized shelter, a large urban shelter (with or without advertising), a refurbished shelter, a mountain-region shelter, and a small bike station.
The remaining three prototypes—a large bike station, a single bike stand, and a waste bin—are in progress. During prototype inspections attended by the designer, the contractor pointed out issues arising from the initial design, asked for clarifications, and received recommendations for improvements. These will be incorporated before final technical documentation and revised prototypes are submitted for inspection, approval, pilot installation, and full-scale production. Four key prototypes—the pillar, the refurbished shelter, the medium-sized shelter, and the large urban shelter with advertising—were presented by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works at a press conference in June 2024, attended by EU representatives, the designer, and the media.
- The designer’s claim—made in Politis tis Kyriakis, in the Parliamentary Committee session, and in television appearances—that the contractor should have already delivered around 1,000 shelters is incorrect. As mentioned in the Department’s earlier statement dated April 4, 2025, orders were placed for about 400 shelters to be built and installed in 2024, and another 700 for 2025. Although there were delays in 2024, completion is expected by the end of 2025.
Delay penalties are included in the contract. The Department is reviewing the contractor’s requests for an extension and has already issued a formal written warning regarding delays.
- A bus shelter, reportedly sourced from suppliers in China and nearly identical to the Cyprus design, was recently circulated in media and social media. It must be emphasized that the Cyprus shelters are protected by a patent registered under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works. Any reproduction is prohibited.
The advertised shelters are of questionable quality, structural integrity, and construction standards. They lack the same electrical systems and information panels, certified anti-vandal materials, waterproofing certifications, or long-term warranties (e.g. 10 years for paint, 15 years for solar panels). The information on the posted shelters appears to be stickers, the glass is half the required thickness, the bench is plastic, and there is ambiguity about what the quoted price actually includes. Costs like delivery, customs, storage, assembly, transport, installation, and coordination are not included. The material warranty for the advertised product is only one year.
- Regarding the electrical and electronic systems, field installation is carried out in stages: site assessment, excavation and foundation work, metal frame installation, and glass panel fitting. Electrical equipment is then connected—this process has started and the shelters will soon be fully operational, as explained in multiple presentations and statements. Information displays and audio announcement systems are planned for about 500 key locations and are currently under testing and calibration before installation.
It is important to stress that the new shelters are fully functional from the moment they are installed, providing safety and protection regardless of whether the electronic systems have been connected yet. Installing these shelters—particularly the medium-sized ones—in areas currently served only by a pole, as well as refurbishing older shelters, is a practical and immediate upgrade for public transport users. Larger shelters will be installed in the coming months.
- In his written submission to the Parliamentary Committee, the designer claimed he has not been paid and has not received compensation for contract extensions. The Public Works Department clarifies that all completed works for which the designer has issued invoices have been paid. His request for additional compensation was reviewed by the relevant committees, and a specific monthly amount for delays was offered.
