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- He said a municipal study found a tram could serve major Nicosia traffic corridors, reviving a debate that has lacked clear direction.
- Prountzos said buses make up only 4–5% of journeys, despite the system’s launch in 2010, over €1 billion spent, and low targets missed.
- He estimated a 20-kilometre tram network could cost about €500 million to €600 million, based on €25 million to €30 million per kilometre.
- The mayor said buses would remain part of transport planning, while a tram should be assessed alongside renewable energy, funding options and public-space regeneration.
Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos has called for serious consideration of a tram plan, arguing that the city needs to examine long-term public transport options as preparations begin for new bus contracts covering 2030–2040.
Mayor calls for serious tram assessment
In a social media post, Prountzos said the question of whether a tram could serve major traffic corridors in Nicosia has already received a positive answer in a study carried out by the municipality with a transport consultancy.
He said the discussion about a tram has returned periodically to the public debate without producing a clear direction or prospect.
Prountzos noted that buses currently account for only 4–5% of all journeys, despite the new bus system being introduced in 2010 and new 10-year contracts being signed in 2020.
Those contracts are due to expire in 2030.
According to the mayor, after 17 years of operating the system and with total spending exceeding €1 billion, bus use remains significantly below the targets that had been set.
Bus infrastructure and travel times
Prountzos attributed the situation not only to the structure of the bus contracts but also to insufficient infrastructure, including the lack of an effective city-wide network of dedicated bus lanes.
He also argued that spatial planning and urban development conditions have largely moved beyond the assumptions of recent Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
According to Prountzos, bus routes shown on Google Maps indicate that, with limited exceptions, travelling by bus takes roughly twice as long as travelling by private car.
He also referred to the relatively high cost of public transport and said that while the passenger experience on board a bus can be positive, conditions before and after the journey remain below satisfactory standards, in his assessment.
Tram network could reach 20km
Prountzos said the municipality had previously prepared a study for a tram line slightly longer than 14 kilometres.
The new municipal administration subsequently examined an extension of around six kilometres, bringing the potential total network to approximately 20 kilometres.
Based on an estimated construction cost of €25 million to €30 million per kilometre, he put the total cost at around €500 million to €600 million.
He said the estimate takes into account recent projects in European cities, including Marseille.
The mayor stressed that buses would not be removed from the transport plan, but could operate alongside a tram system.
He also said a tram could be combined with public-space regeneration and stronger public transport infrastructure to reduce reliance on private cars.
Energy costs and funding options
Prountzos linked the tram proposal to the initiative to establish the Lefkothea Energy Community, noting that electricity costs would represent a significant part of the operating costs of such a system.
He said producing and using cheaper renewable energy could help make a future tram system more affordable and sustainable.
The mayor also raised the question of whether a tram should be assessed as a state investment or through a public-private partnership.
He argued that continuing to rely exclusively on buses should be reconsidered in light of current transport needs.
New bus contracts create a timeline
Prountzos highlighted the timing of the discussion, with preparations under way for new bus contracts covering the 2030–2040 period.
Although the current municipal administration’s term ends in 2029, he said transport solutions need to be planned with a longer-term perspective.
He stressed that Nicosia Municipality is not in competition with the Transport Ministry and that close cooperation and a clear division of responsibilities are needed.
He also referred to a recent meeting with the Transport Minister, during which the tram proposal was discussed alongside other outstanding issues.
“We are not being unserious by saying we will build a tram. We are saying that now is the time to seriously investigate the issue,” Prountzos said.
Traffic, health and EU funding
Prountzos also linked traffic congestion to public health, public spending, European obligations on emissions and the country’s development prospects.
He argued that a significant amount of public space is occupied by cars and that the cost of purchasing and maintaining a vehicle places a considerable burden on citizens.
He noted that the EU’s next co-financing period begins in around a year and argued that discussions on future public transport options should already be under way.
“What exactly are we waiting for to intervene?” he asked.
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