2022

The embattled traffic camera system is to finally move up a gear and exit its extended pilot phase, as now another 20 stationary cameras are to be installed within six months, the transport ministry said on Tuesday.

The 20 cameras will be placed across six intersections while another 16 mobile cameras will also be brought online.

It marks a significant development for the transport ministry which received mockery and criticism for the rollout of the programme. The pilot phase, meant to only last for three months, saw just four stationary and four mobile cameras being introduced in October 2021.

Nine months later and the ministry announced that the first phase will be completed within the next six months.

They said that the additional cameras will be gradually installed throughout next half-year. The second phase is when it really ramps up: a further 66 stationary cameras will be rolled out.

But the road so far has been rocky, with back-and-forth claims and counterclaims of who is to blame for the delays. It culminated with President Nicos Anastasiades hosting a meeting in June of senior ministers and officials, after which the transport minister issued a stern warning to the company to sort the matter out.

Early on there were warnings that the sheer volume of the number of fines was overloading the company assigned to handle and issue the paperwork. From October 2021 until June 2022, it had recorded 90,000 violations, with some drivers not receiving their fines months after the infraction occurred.

It was soon reported that there were difficulties in the identifying drivers and cross-referencing their details across various government databases and linking them to the correct address. It is understood that a person’s name may have been stored differently across various government departments, while some listed addresses were wildly inaccurate or out of date.

There has also been flood of complaints from the public who are eventually receiving their fines. One source of tension is that many are being fined for simply touching the white line at the intersections, once the light has gone red, even if the vehicle has not crossed over.

Haris Evripidou of the traffic department explained that in such cases a fine of just €25 is issued instead of the €300 had the vehicle fully crossed the line at a red light.

Some members of the public have expressed concern and have questioned why such cases are being investigated and burdening the programme when instead the focus should be on graver incidents.

He was also asked why drivers who are fined and wish to contest the claim are not able to review footage of the case, to which Evripidou replied that the current legal framework does not permit it. Currently, drivers are only provided with a photograph depicting the alleged infraction, with Evripidou stating that for it to be otherwise the law must be changed.

It was initially hoped that the pilot phase would be a period for the public to become acquainted with the system and that subsequently the volume of fines would decrease substantially.

There are fears that if more cameras are to come online then the system would be further choked and bogged down.

Source: Another 36 traffic cameras as system moves from pilot to first phase | Cyprus Mail

Police seized 19 motorcycles from their owners as part of a stepped-up campaign to prevent serious road collisions and noise pollution.

Limassol traffic police carried out traffic controls in city ​​and surrounding countryside, as well as in places known to be particularly dangerous, where fatal road collisions had occurred in the past.

During the controls, police confiscated 19 large capacity motorcycles, eight of which were located in the countryside near Agros, while a total of 64 bookings were made for various other traffic offenses.

Police also caught a 19-year-old man driving a stolen motorcycle, while he was found positive in a preliminary drug test.

Targeted traffic controls continue 24 hours a day throughout the entire Cyprus road network.

Source: Traffic police target motorcycles in stepped-up checks | Cyprus Mail

Seventeen high-capacity motorcycles and five cars have been confiscated according to a police announcement on Monday.

In the context of preventing road collisions and noise pollution, Z team and traffic police carried out traffic control checks between Friday 7pm to Monday 2pm in Limassol.

Special attention was given to places where road fatalities and or noise pollution previously took place.

During the checks, 17 high-capacity motorbikes were confiscated for a variety of offences including modifications on the bikes’ frames and engines and driving without a licence or insurance.

Similarly, five cars whose drivers were found without a driving licence and/or insurance were also confiscated.

Additionally, during the above checks, 24 drivers were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.

Of them, a 26-year-old subjected to an alco-test scored 80mg% while a 70-year-old scored 90mg%.

Moreover, 78 drivers were charged for speeding, 33 for driving without a valid driving licence and insurance while another 80 for other traffic violations.

Targeted checks from the police will occur daily across the whole Cypriot road network. Their sole aim is to strengthen the feeling of road safety and prevent and mitigate serious and fatal road collisions.

Source: Police seize motorbikes, cars | Cyprus Mail

The transport ministry on Saturday hailed the recent approval of the amendment to the legislation on bicycles and other personal mobility vehicles, including e-scooters.

The ministry noted that although the use of these vehicles in Cyprus had been relatively limited, mostly seen in tourist areas, they became more prevalent after the pandemic period.

This has been attributed to people being more concerned with their impact on the environment, with e-scooters having a smaller carbon footprint than cars, as well as their reduced running cost during a period of economic turmoil.

“With the increased use of these vehicles in Cyprus, road collisions with scooters have been recorded, including a fatal accident,” the ministry said, pointing out that there have been reactions from local authorities to these problems.

In this context, the amendment to the relevant legislation, approved by the House plenum on Thursday, now stipulates that their permitted use on roads includes those with a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour, bike paths, as well as areas that form extensions of bike paths, with the latter forming a mixed area for both cyclists and pedestrians.

These vehicles can also be used in squares and sidewalks but only after this has been approved by the local municipality, council or community.

Moreover, the minimum age for the use of e-scooters has been set at 14, while the use of a helmet and high visibility vest at night time have been made mandatory.

The minimum equipment that such vehicles must have includes the brake system, front and rear lights, a bell and tyres. Their maximum permitted speed has been set at 20 kilometres per hour.

The ministry clarified that a transitional period will apply, allowing owners to get up to speed with the new regulations, particularly in terms of meeting minimum equipment requirements, as well as allowing rental companies to acquire the relevant permits.

Police confiscated ten large capacity motorcycles in Limassol on Monday in an ongoing stepped-up operation aimed at reducing fatal and serious road collisions, as well as noise nuisance.

As part of the operation, Limassol traffic police carried out controls 8 am-6 pm Monday in the city of Limassol, as well as in locations where fatal road collisions had occurred in the past.

During the traffic controls, ten large capacity motorcycles were confiscated, and 51 fines were issued for various traffic offences.

Targeted traffic controls continue 24 hours a day in the entire road network throughout Cyprus.

Source: Police seize ten motorcycles in stepped-up traffic safety operation | Cyprus Mail

The majority of Cypriots believe that traffic cameras will save lives on the road, and support the installation of more such units, a survey has found.

Carried out by IMR and the University of Nicosia, and commissioned by the police, the poll found that 70 per cent think that the cameras will help prevent and reduce deadly accidents. That view was held by 96 per cent of the sub-category of respondents aged 65 and over.

Regarding the penalties for traffic violations, 18 per cent of respondents wanted stiffer fines, 22 per cent less severe fines, and 50 per cent thought the current fines should stay as is.

Asked whether more cameras should be installed, 70 per cent said yes. Broken down by district, 74 per cent of respondents from Nicosia were in favour, followed respondents from Limassol with 71 per cent.

Only last month, the government said that the company operating the traffic cameras system would receive a warning in the wake of a series of failures that are holding up the full implementation of the system, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said.

Those caught violating the traffic code may also receive a text message or email informing them of the fine, the minister added, explaining that they are looking into tweaking the relevant legislation.

The president had to chair a meeting on the embattled traffic camera system to try and untangle the growing knot as the programme remains mired in its pilot phase.

The pilot phase began in October 2021 with just four stationary cameras active, a period which was initially only set to last for three months. But since then, local media reported that over half of the almost 90,000 violations which have been recorded have not had their subsequent fines sent out.

But Karousos hit back at those figures, stating that confirmed violations currently total 62,752 of which 47,192 have either been sent out or were about to be. However, that still left a considerable chunk of 15,000 fines to be handled.

Issues plaguing the camera system are varied, but a major hurdle was that the company was having difficulties issuing fines due a driver’s details appearing in different forms and not matching across the government databases.

Source: Majority believe traffic cams will save lives – poll | Cyprus Mail

The transport ministry is working on legislative changes as part of efforts to improve road safety, minister Yiannis Karousos said on Thursday as he welcomed private initiatives to stem the bloodshed on the roads.

Karousos was speaking at a press conference where Trust Insurance Cyprus outlined its “be a responsible driver for yourself and others” campaign, providing free ‘do-it-yourself’ alcotests for drivers.

His remark came amid bleak figures on road fatalities which, after some improvement, have spiked in 2022 to bring the numbers back to 2018 levels. Figures for bikers are even more discouraging.

This was acknowledged by the minister who said that in the period 2017 to 2021, nearly one in three of road victims (30 per cent) were on motorbikes or mopeds. In 2021, 14 of the 45 road deaths were bikers or passengers. The number of injured bikers was also high, accounting in 2021 for 47.34 per cent of serious injuries from road collisions and 29.33 per cent of light injuries.

This year’s statistics are concerning, with the number of fatalities at 2018 levels, he added.

In a bid to turn the tide, the ministry has launched a number of initiatives, including a proposal regarding the protective equipment required for those who drive motorbikes and mopeds as a profession. As part of this bid, the ministry launched a three-year €1.05m scheme offering grants for protective equipment.

Other initiatives include a bill amending the law to restrict the validity of a learner’s licence to two years from the date of issue.

“The actions extend on multiple levels aimed at specific vulnerable groups or users of the road network. Initiatives from the private sector, such as this by Trust Insurance Cyprus, bolster the government’s drive to improve behaviour or the roads and send the message that road safety is a collective responsibility,” he said.

The breathalysers presented at the event are chargeable and reusable. The company’s vision is for them to become part of daily driving routine, just like seat belts and helmets.

Also present at the event was House president Anita Demetriou who highlighted the importance of self-checks.

“Every year we have a concerning number of road fatalities that we must address. It is with campaigns such as today’s that we can do so,” she said.

About one in four of road fatalities in the EU are due to drunk driving. In Cyprus, alcohol is the second most frequent cause for road deaths – accounting for 18.99 per cent of the total over the period 2017 to 2021, after careless and risky driving.

Source: Self alcotests launched for drivers | Cyprus Mail

A total of 11 people lost their lives in road accidents in Cyprus last month alone and this bleak statistic is recorded even after traffic lights have come into operation.

In other words, June was the month during which one fatal road accident took place every three days and this is shocking with authorities admitting they are in despair, Philenews reports.

In the first half of 2022, 24 deaths were recoded compared to 16 the same period last year. And if two road fatalities with British Bases’ territory are added, then the death toll reaches 26.

That is, an increase in fatal road accidents by 33% is marked.

Authorities admit the situation has gotten out of hand and that they have run out of solutions. The recent meeting held after the back-to-back fatalities in June merely identified the problem and x-rayed the fatalities.

However, no new measures were announced aiming to turn around the bleak situation.

Source: June a bleak month for road fatalities, toll rises to 11 | in-cyprus.com

Police dished out 907 traffic fines between 6am Friday and 6am on Sunday, they said.

The majority of offences, 307, were for speeding, and 72 for drunk driving.

There were 59 fines for not using a seat belt, or helmets by bikers, and 25 for using a mobile phone while driving.

Traffic signal violations reached 100.

In addition, 28 drivers were fined for driving without a valid MOT and 22 for parking on pavements or in disabled parking.

Source: Over 900 traffic fines issued in 48 hours | Cyprus Mail

Another step has been taken towards converting Paphos into a smart city with the introduction of a smart parking management system on Friday.

The project, co-financed by the European Union and the republic, is expected to substantially upgrade parking services for residents and visitors alike.

Through the Pafos Smart Parking mobile app, which allows the user to see the total number of parking spots available in real-time, users can get directions to available spots and make payments in a number of convenient ways.

These include via SMS, with an agreement made with Cyta, Epic and Primetel, whereby a message sent to 9191 will enable the cost to be tagged onto customers’ mobile phone bills at a €1 charge, and the possibility to purchase a monthly permit. Payment will still be accepted at existing coin machines for a transitional period.

For the purposes of implementing the system, the city of Paphos has been divided into several pricing zones with monthly permits offered at €25 and €50. A special monthly permit of €25 for all zones is also available for those 65 and over, and can be obtained from the citizens service centre at the Stelios Kyriakides stadium parking lot.

The app is available for Android and iOs from Google Play and the App store.

ource: Paphos gets smarter with launch of parking app | Cyprus Mail