July 2020

CONTACT NOS FOR THE POLICE IN THE AREA WHERE YOU MAY BE ON HOLIDAY OR VISITING

We are already in the summer holiday season, which many choose to spend away from the city where they live, temporarily staying either in a tourist accommodation, or in another family or holiday home in the village, on the coast or even in the mountainous areas. Others, again, prefer one-day or two-day trips to the mountain or the sea, on weekends, absent even for a while, from the urban areas where they live.

 During the holidays, however, there are also various unforeseen incidents, some serious and not so much, but we also need to ask for help for them.

 It is therefore useful to know some important contact numbers with the Police, in the area where we will be, so that in case we need to call for help, receive some advice or make a complaint, we can immediately contact either the local Police Station or the Police Directorate of the Province where we will be.

 Relevant information on the contact numbers of the local Police Stations by Province, are published on the website of the Police.  www.cypruspolicenews.com. In addition to the telephone numbers, information is published about the address of the Police Stations, as well as about the areas of Municipalities and Communities, which are policed by each Police Station.

The contact numbers with the Police Directorates of the Provinces are as follows:

Famagusta Province: 23-803030

Larnaca Province: 24-804040

Limassol Province: 25-805050

Paphos Province: 26-806060

Morfos Area: 22-802525

Nicosia Province: 22-802020

The following numbers operate on a Cyprus-wide basis:

Cyprus Citizen’s Contact Line – 1460

Police Emergency – 112 or 199

CONTACT NOS FOR THE POLICE IN THE AREA WHERE YOU MAY BE ON HOLIDAY OR VISITING Read More »

GERMANY WANTS TO INTRODUCE CAR TOLL ACROSS EU, DOCUMENT SHOWS

© Reuters/POOL FILE PHOTO: Weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin

By Markus Wacket

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer aims to clear the way for an almost blanket motorway toll for cars across Germany and Europe during the country’s presidency of the European Union, a draft document seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed.

Within eight years, almost all vehicles on motorways, including lorries, vans and cars, would have to pay tolls, according to the draft for the EU toll directive.

“As regards member states that have already established a charging system, tolls or user charges shall be levied upon all vehicles except coaches and buses,” stated the document which Scheuer wants German ministries to approve on Wednesday.

That would make it Germany’s official proposal for its presidency of the bloc which started on July 1 and runs until the end of the year.

However, some government officials told Reuters that some German ministries wanted to put the project on ice even though a distance-based toll is widely seen as a measure to help protect the climate.

It is particularly sensitive for ministries headed by the Social Democrats (SPD), who share power with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and have long been critical of car tolls.

(Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Michelle Martin)

Source: TALA COMMUNITY NEWS: GERMANY WANTS TO INTRODUCE CAR TOLL ACROSS EU, DOCUMENT SHOWS

GERMANY WANTS TO INTRODUCE CAR TOLL ACROSS EU, DOCUMENT SHOWS Read More »

Customised car destroyed on court’s order – Cyprus Mail

A car that had been customised by its owner was destroyed on Wednesday on the orders of the Larnaca district court after it ruled that the changes made to the vehicle were illegal.

The car was seized last December after a routine traffic check in Larnaca when its 27-year-old owner was found to be driving while his licence was revoked and with no insurance.

During a check of the vehicle, police found out that it had undergone several mechanical conversions such as an engine change without the permission from the road transport department. The vehicle’s frame where the chassis number was located had been cut and welded anew, and as a result, it was not possible to prove the car’s identity. It was therefore deemed unfit to run, police said.

The Larnaca district court ordered the vehicle’s destruction on June 11 citing the illegal conversions made and the imprisonment of the owner for 30 days, among other things.

“The vehicle was transported today to an approved site of destruction of old vehicles where the court decree was executed,” police said.

The driver was sentenced to 30 days in prison and his licence was revoked for four months after he was found guilty of driving while his licence was revoked, with no insurance and for the changes he had made to the car.

Source: Customised car destroyed on court’s order – Cyprus Mail

Customised car destroyed on court’s order – Cyprus Mail Read More »

Drivers set to face steeper and more targeted fines  – Cyprus Mail

Drivers are set to face steeper and more targeted fines in October, as parliament is set to vote next week on seven bills to introduce the changes.

The simple take-away is that fines are set to increase across the board. In most cases, the fines have been doubled with provisions for even steeper penalties for repeat offences within certain period of time.

The bills are set to pass next week but the new measures will not come into effect until October.

During the intervening two months, authorities will carry out a large-scale information campaign to inform the public of the new measures.

As one MP told the Cyprus Mail: “It’s complex set of changes that will occur and people will have to familiarise themselves with the new measures.”

It appears that there was some haggling over how steep to the fines should be.

It is understood that the justice ministry had lobbied for heftier fines, such as a penalty of €300 for using the phone while driving. The transport committee, however, proposed a fine of €150 which could reach €300 for a repeat offence.

The reasoning behind this, a member of the transport committee told the Cyprus Mail, is that “the fines should be high enough to act as a deterrent but not overly strict so as to bankrupt someone.”

The transport committee and justice ministry also hope to cover some loopholes. Currently, as the MP told the Cyprus Mail, it is cheaper to pay the fine for driving without a licence than it is to buy the licence itself.

The exact details of the new measures are set to be made available shortly as the information campaign begins.

Source: Drivers set to face steeper and more targeted fines  – Cyprus Mail

Drivers set to face steeper and more targeted fines  – Cyprus Mail Read More »

Cyprus has among least safe roads in Europe – Cyprus Mail

Cyprus is near the bottom of European countries when it comes to the number of road fatalities per million inhabitants, according to figures released by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

While Sweden has the safest roads, with 25 road deaths per million people, the UK is second with 28 and Cyprus is ranked at number 20 with 62.

Road fatalities are at their highest in eastern Europe. Romania has the worst record, with 99 fatalities per million inhabitants. Bulgaria comes close with 96. Next on the list are Croatia, Poland and Latvia.

The EU average is 49 fatalities per million.

According to the ACEA, road traffic deaths have been falling in the EU for the past two decades. In 2001, there were 54,900 fatalities. By 2017 this had fallen to 25,300.

However, more needs to be done, EU Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, responsible for internal market and industry, said.

“We can and must act to change this. With the new advanced safety features that will become mandatory, we can have the same kind of impact as when safety belts were first introduced,” she commented.

Source: Cyprus has among least safe roads in Europe – Cyprus Mail

Cyprus has among least safe roads in Europe – Cyprus Mail Read More »

Articulated lorries to be banned from the roads on Sundays – Cyprus Mail

In a bid to alleviate traffic during the summer, police on Friday banned articulated lorries from using motorways and other networks between certain times the next three Sundays of the month.

According to a statement, on July 12, 19, and 26, between 9am and 1pm and 4pm and 8pm, articulated lorries would be banned from using motorways as well as the Nicosia -Troodos, Limassol-Platres-Troodos, and Paphos-Polis roads.

Recently, because of the large number of cars on the network and two crashes, thousands of motorists were stuck on the highway for hours.

In addition, police would be stepping up its patrols during the weekend and carry out checks with special emphasis on offences considered the main causes of fatal accidents.

On Sundays, police will also issue frequent announcements regarding the state of the roads.

Source: Articulated lorries to be banned from the roads on Sundays – Cyprus Mail

Articulated lorries to be banned from the roads on Sundays – Cyprus Mail Read More »

Police urge motorcyclists to wear helmets – Cyprus Mail

Paphos police on Sunday appealed to motorbike users to wear helmets for their own safety.

Speaking after the death of a motorcyclist in Paphos early on Sunday morning, CID Paphos spokesman Michalis Ioannou said “we are making for one more time an appeal to motorcyclists to wear a helmet”.

Shortly before 5am on Sunday Evagoras Demetriou, 24, from Ayia Marina was driving home after a night out on the main road from Polis to his village when he lost control of the bike, which overturned leaving him on the pavement.

He was taken to Paphos general hospital where doctors confirmed his death.

Source: Police urge motorcyclists to wear helmets – Cyprus Mail

Police urge motorcyclists to wear helmets – Cyprus Mail Read More »