April 2022

Yet another scam has been uncovered at the transport ministry, again involving imported luxury cars, but this time centred on dodging thousands in tax via prolonged use of test-driving plates.

Some owners of supercars and luxury, behemoth SUVs worth over €100,000 are driving for up to five years – in some cases – with test plates which, by law, are not permitted for more than 15 days.

As such, the cars are unregistered, the owners have not paid the required taxes, but the vehicles continue to be driven on the roads regardless.

The audit office and an official at the transport ministry recently carried out checks at car dealerships and found that systematic, illegal use of test plates is ongoing.

They uncovered that some car dealers, their family members and employees at the companies never register their vehicles and permanently use test plates instead.

It was also discovered that car dealers hand out test plates to customers – at a cost of €200 – who in turn dodge thousands in tax due to the state, presumably offering kickbacks to the car salesmen.

The investigation further found that test plates were declared to be at multiple different locations simultaneously, while other plates which were rescinded by the ministry were still in use. Further still, test plates from a single set were found to be in use by multiple cars, which in turn only wore a single plate. It was also discovered that car dealers were handing out test plates to members of the public who imported their own cars and used them illegally for months.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos confirmed that abuse of the test plate system was occurring, telling daily Politis – which first reported on the issue – that measures are being taken to address the issue.

One such measure is to only allocate dealerships with test plates according to their volume of work.

Police in the past have carried out island wide checks in an attempt to address the scam, issuing fines, but those efforts evidently failed in light of the ongoing fraud.

According to the law, those found to be abusing the test plates system face up to a year in prison, €5,000 in fines, or both. Car dealers defrauding the system face up to €1,700 in fines, up to a year in prison, or both – with further potential sanctions.

Cyprus is no stranger to car-scams, as an explosive case emerged within the last year which has so far led to four arrests.

That case centred on a second-hand car scam which involved officials at the transport department allegedly doctoring documents to pass off damaged luxury cars as new.

The case also led to the senior transport department employee who tipped off police about the scam being targeted by arsonists who allegedly tried to silence him by destroying two cars parked at his house.

The charges being investigated include abuse of power, issuance of false documents by civil servants, forgery, neglect of official duty, among others, while further arrests are expected, the police said.

Source: Another luxury car scam uncovered at transport ministry | Cyprus Mail

Police booked 48 drivers for speeding during a 12-hour road safety campaign in the Paphos district.

They were among 336 total offences reported from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm on Wednesday at well-known blackspots in the district as well as in Polis Chrysochous and on the motorways.

The campaign was carried out by the unit for the prevention of road accidents at police headquarters, traffic police and other officers and came within the framework of efforts to reduce road fatalities and serious collisions and to bolster road safety awareness.

Overall, police booked 336 offences of which 78 were for failure to wear a seat belt, 65 for driving without road tax, 55 for driving without free hands and 48 for speeding. Five cars and one moped were confiscated.

Source: 336 traffic offences in 12 hours in Paphos district | Cyprus Mail

Smart traffic lights are to be installed at 125 locations in Nicosia and Limassol as part of a smart traffic management system, Transport Minister Yiannos Karousos said on Friday.

He told reporters during a visit to Limassol that tenders will be invited in about two months.

“There will be sensors that will receive all the data and the system will decide how much priority to give each time,” he said.

A similar system was introduced at the Ayia Fyla roundabout, to a mixed reception from the public but praise from the ministry which said it had cut travel time in half.

Karousos said there will be a central management system at the department of public works and that municipalities would also have a say in the system.

Smart traffic lights will reduce waiting times for drivers and ease traffic congestion. Moreover, the system will be able to identify buses, ambulances and taxis and give them priority, he added.

As regards the remaining roundabouts on the Limassol highway, Karousos said that a study was underway for a similar system as that at Ayia Phyla. “If it shows that there will be improvement, we will go ahead and install smart traffic lights at those roundabouts too,” he added.

The ministry has already signed a contract that is currently being implemented to install sensors and cameras on the motorways to provide data that will be displayed to drivers on electronic placards. Information will be provided on issues such as congestion and accidents, and alternative routes proposed so as to improve traffic flows.

Source: Smart traffic lights to be installed in 125 locations in Nicosia and Limassol | Cyprus Mail

By Elias Hazou and Jonathan Shkurko

Members of the House transport committee on Thursday called on the government to work on regulating the use of personal mobility vehicles in Cyprus, most notably electric scooters.

A scooter is any self-propelled device using any form of energy, which can carry a seated or standing person. The device has handlebars, a drive shaft, and at least two wheels.

The topic of the committee was road safety and Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos was present during the discussions.

The government bill governing the use of scooters or e-scooters is an interim arrangement, in anticipation of an EU directive regulating the matter.

It provides that scooters can be used only in bicycle paths or bicycle lanes, or in a space that is an extension of a bicycle lane – such as a communal area used by cyclists and pedestrians, or in a square or sidewalk following a decision by the local municipality or local authority.

Operators must be 16 years old and over, and must wear a helmet. At a minimum, a scooter must have a breaking system, lights in front and in the back, a bell, and tyres. The maximum allowable speed is 15 km per hour.

The bill also includes regulations for importers and traders of scooters – again relating to scooters’ technical specifications, as well as regulations governing the licensing of scooter rentals.

Additionally, the proposed legislation spells out the offences and the related penalties.

Akel MP Yiannakis Gavriel called the proposed legislation a step in the right direction. But certain concerns remained – such as that there exists no requirement to register these devices, which could lead to unchecked imports.

For her part, Disy MP Fotini Tsiridou said the aim was to find ways to tackle road accidents on the island.

“Personal mobility vehicles were firstly introduced as recreation vehicles, but, due to their growing popularity, they are now increasingly used as proper means of transport.

“This development forces us to plan for their regulation, taking into account various parameters, based on road safety, mobility, but also urban planning, traffic and other data,” Tsiridou said.

According to her, three bills regarding road safety have also been submitted to the transport ministry.

The first one concerns the regulation of the circulation of bicycles, with emphasis of who can ride them and where.

The second one aims at regulating the settling of out-of-court fines for motorists caught breaking road safety rules, while the third one proposes the ban on circulation of personal mobility vehicles on roads.

In addition to the three bills, the committee discussed amending the law on the driver’s license.

“Based on a study carried out by the EU on the cost of motorcycle accidents in each country in relation to the social and economic impact, it emerged that the yearly cost for Cyprus is €250 million,” Tsiridou said.

The amendment will propose a time limit on a learner’s permit, the expiry of which will force the driver to retake the exam in order to obtain it again.

The proposed bill will also deem it mandatory for all motorcycle drivers to wear a helmet and protective equipment.

Employers of delivery drivers, mostly working on mopeds, will have to provide them with helmets and protective gear.

Source: Authorities called to tackle rise in scooter use on roads | Cyprus Mail

More than 950 violations were recorded over the last three days, police said on Sunday.

Until Sunday morning, during traffic inspections carried out since Friday by the traffic police more than 950 traffic violations were reported.

Police said violations included speeding, traffic lights violations, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.

A total of 568 drivers were reported for speeding while for traffic signal and traffic lights violations 84 drivers were reported.

Twenty five drivers tested positive for driving under the influence of alcohol, while 10 drivers tested positive for a preliminary drugs test.

Another 27 complaints were made for not using a seat belt by drivers and passengers, 19 complaints were made for driving with non-free hands, and 33 complaints about offences of illegal parking.

According to the police, there were 17 complaints of drivers not covered by an insurance certificate, as well as 18 complaints of drivers who had no MOT, and 112 complaints for driving without valid registration.

Source: Police fine more than 950 drivers in three days | Cyprus Mail