CyprusDriving

Source: Railway more feasible for Cyprus than tram systems, Karousos says | Cyprus Mail

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos on Thursday signed a contract for the upgrade and maintenance of electronic boards used for the management of traffic on Cyprus’ road network.

The deal is worth €1,021,348 including VAT and was signed in the presence of the director of the public works department Eleni Kaskiri and the director of international sales of Swarco Italia, the company producing the boards, Fabrizio Biora.

“This investment will help to better manage the road network by increasing its safety and capacity by responding quickly to incidents and providing information to drivers,” said a transport ministry announcement released after the deal was signed.

“It will also provide accurate traffic data free of charge to individuals for the development of navigation applications and to research centres or universities for scientific purposes.”

The purchase, installation and connection of the platform to the control centre located at the public works department headquarters will be covered by the European Union and the government through the ‘Transnational Cooperation Programme Greece-Cyprus 2014-2020’, which aims to increase the competitiveness of the area by supporting entrepreneurship and the use of information and communication technologies.

The deal includes a six-year maintenance period.

The boards will be connected to the existing smart traffic system link, which already includes 26 road surveillance cameras.

Source: Improvements to managing traffic flows | Cyprus Mail

Twenty additional traffic cams are expected to be operational in Nicosia and Limassol by January 31, 2023.

Currently, four mobile and four stationary cameras are in service at various locations in Nicosia.

The timeframe for upgrades to the traffic control system, provide for the installation of 20 additional cameras at six crossroads in the two cities.

By January 31, there will be a total of 16 mobile and 20 stationary cameras in place and the first phase of the project will be complete.

The second phase foresees the installation of an additional 66 cameras, bringing the total up to 110 units, consisting of 20 mobile and 90 stationary cameras.

Source: Additional traffic cams in Nicosia and Limassol by January 31, 2023 | Cyprus Mail

New schemes providing incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles are expected to be announced within the next two weeks, the transport ministry said.

About 2,500 applications will be approved as part of the subsidy scheme for the purchase of electric cars and for withdrawal of old ones, the director general of the transport ministry Yiannis Nicolaides told state radio Trito on Thursday.

The applications will be submitted electronically. If they exceed the number of available grants, beneficiaries will be selected at random electronically, Nicolaides said.

According to Eurostat data, 66 per cent of cars in Cyprus were older than ten years old. A mere four per cent of passenger vehicles were less than two years old as of December 31, 2020 and just ten per cent were between two and five years old.

In total 20 per cent of cars were between five and ten years old, 49 per cent were between 10 and 20 years old and 17 per cent were older than 20 years.

However, the national goal for registered electric vehicles in 2022 was surpassed by 144 per cent according to the transport ministry.

Previous incentives announced for the purchase of electric vehicles, included taxis and buses, and transportation means with lower emissions in combination with a car scrappage scheme.

The first scheme, announced back in November 2021 with a €4m budget, concerned the scrappage of cars older than 12 years and their replacement with new ones with lower emissions, or with electric bicycles or in exchange for bus tickets.

For the scrappage of an old car and its replacement with a new one that emits less than 50 grammes per kilometre of carbon dioxide, the subsidy was at €7,500. In total 360 subsidies were on offer.

For those wishing to scrap an old car and purchase a taxi that emits less than 50g/km CO2 the subsidy was €12,000 (33 subsidies).

Another subsidy amounting to €10,000 was offered for the scrappage of an old car and purchase of a new one for disabled people emitting less than 50g/km CO2. The same applies for purchasing a car for large families (20).

Source: New scheme for EV purchases in the pipeline | Cyprus Mail

The transport ministry on Saturday announced that the House plenum has approved an amendment to the Road Safety Act 2022, allowing it to regulate advertisements and other such activities that concern the sale of alcohol and vehicles.

“By law, it will now be mandatory to include communication messages about road safety issues in advertisements related to the purchase of vehicles and alcohol consumption,” the ministry said.

“These messages will be determined by a decree from the minister of transport, in which the requirements and relevant details will be provided,” it added.

According to the amending bill, the minister may, by decree published in the Official Gazette, establish requirements for the purpose of improving road safety, with the inclusion of communication messages in advertisements promoting the purchase of vehicles or advertisements related to the consumption of alcohol or determine other ways to incorporate this type of communication into vehicle sales or alcohol advertising.

What is more, the ministry clarified that the obligation to include the messages rests, based on the law, on the person on whose behalf the product is promoted.

This bill is part of a series of initiatives, actions and legislative arrangements that the transport ministry has implemented in the interest of road safety.

Other actions include the installation of the traffic camera system, the institution of road safety ambassadors, the grant schemes for protective equipment for motorcyclists, the significant increase in the road safety budget, as well as the promotion of roadworthiness testing for motorcycles.

In addition, the ministry has also implemented the child-seat grant scheme for buses, the passing of the electric scooter law, and the completion of related bills for driving schools and instructors, as well as the bill concerning the mandatory recording and declaration of road collision damages in the history of each vehicle.

The ministry said that in February 2022 it also submitted to the House various amendments to the driving licence law, through which driving on the road network is regulated in such a way that learners of all categories of mopeds and motorcycles can be trained while on the road network.

This means that they can be accompanied and under the direct supervision of a licensed driving instructor.

The amendment also dictates that mopeds and motorcycle drivers who are riding while working, such as when distributing food or documents, must, in addition to the protective helmet, also carry additional protective equipment, such as an airbag for motorcyclists.

In his statements, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos welcomed the passing of the amending bill, stating that “we now have at our disposal an excellent tool, which we will use to promote, promote and inform road safety issues”.

“Now in every advertisement, television, radio, digital, print or other, which is related to the purchase of vehicles and the consumption of alcohol, a relevant message about road safety will also necessarily be included,” he added.

The minister explained that by enforcing this rule, the public will be further exposed to road safety messages and other pieces of communication.

“The first decree will be issued in January 2023 after a relevant consultation in December,” Karousos said.

“I would like to thank the chairman of the parliamentary committee on transport, Marinos Moushiouttas, as well as the committee’s members, for their cooperation and support of the bill,” the minister concluded.

Source: Mandatory road-safety messages to be included in ads for cars and alcohol | Cyprus Mail

Source: 36 people have died so far this year in traffic accidents | Cyprus Mail

Police officers will be kitted out with cameras, or ‘body cams’ as they are more widely known, while plainclothes officers would also be allowed to record, under a new bill submitted to parliament.

The bill is to now be reviewed by the House legal affairs committee, with the stated aim being for the protection of the public and the officers themselves.

As it stands, the bill sets out some criteria for officers to start recording although the language is vague and there is wide scope for its use.

The bill states that officers will be free to record while carrying out their duties if they feel that it will protect them from physical or verbal attacks, as well as from unsubstantiated allegations.

It also aims to protect the public from potential arbitrary use of power from officers, while also improving evidence-gathering during investigations.

Recording can take place during the search and or arrest, during the pursuit of a person, when conducting high risk operations and during riots or mass gatherings disturbing public order.

The listed provisions and restrictions for its use include that a person be informed, when and where possible, that they are being recorded. Continued use of the camera for extended periods is not permitted, according to the bill and the recording will cease once the incident for which it was operated is over.

Recording sensitive parts of a person during a search is not permitted.

It is also stated that the recordings will be securely stored so as not to be tampered with, leaked, or any other potential misuse.

Recordings which are not useful or related to an investigation are to be deleted within 30 days at the latest.

Body cams worn by police are used in most countries to some extent.

Source: New bill would see police officers kitted out with cameras | Cyprus Mail

Photos from fatal car accidents will go on display at the road safety park in Nicosia starting Sunday to raise awareness among the public, it was announced on Saturday.

The initiative is part of cooperation between police and the Cyprus News Agency.

The exhibition is part of the annual ‘Police Week’. Each accident photo will be displayed with the dates and ages of the victims involved.

Police selected a total of 12 pictures in coordination with the photography association ‘Orasis’, which also edited some of the pictures.

In just the first half of 2022, a total of 25 people died in traffic accidents, according to police statistics published every six months.  Police only publish the stats twice yearly.

Since June however, there have been several more road deaths, the latest one being a 76-year-old Briton who died after being hit by a car, while crossing the street in Peyia on Wednesday.

“Traffic awareness is required behind the wheel and through this exhibition we are trying to raise awareness among the public who will visit during the ‘Police Week’ event on Sunday,” Police Spokesman, Christos Andreou said.

He added that on Sunday, the exhibit will be open for the public, and that the rest of the week until November 11, students will be attending informative sessions in coordination with the education ministry.

“We are expecting 800 to 850 children from year five in primary school to third year lyceum students, age groups that are of immediate interest to us, so that they can learn about the police’s role, and we can attempt to cement road safety to them,” he said.

During Police Week events, members of the force showcase their equipment and police. There will also be activities for small children.

There will be exhibition stands of various police departments and services, staffed by their members, who will provide advice and other information about the tasks they perform, while informative material will also be available.

Justice Minister Stephi Dracou and Police Chief Stelios Paptheodorou will open the event on Sunday at 11:30am.

Source: Photo exhibition of car wrecks aims to raise road-safety awareness | Cyprus Mail

Cabinet on Wednesday rubberstamped a €3.7 million scheme for 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the country.

The efforts are part of the national recovery and resilience plan titled ‘rapid transition to a green economy – sustainable transport.’ Beneficiaries for the scheme include companies, associations, foundations, NGOs, local government authorities and individuals.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said this was one more step to boost electric vehicles in the country, with the aim to have 1000 stations by 2026.

Submitted by the transport ministry, the scheme will be implemented in two phases. Applications for the first phase are accepted until January 31, 2023 with a budget of €1.8m. The second phase will be announced near the end of 2023, with the remaining sum of money.

Spots for the charging stations include public parking spots, private parking, petrol stations and designated areas for electric vehicle charging stations.

Every beneficiary can receive funding for up to four charging stations per district, at a maximum of 15 across the country. Local authorities are exempted from the rule and can place eight stations in their district.

As part of the scheme, half the expenditure can be compensated by the state, with a maximum amount depending on the charger’s output power. Charging stations in rural areas will receive up to 55 per cent of funding.

Applications and more information can be made at https://ev1000.cea.org.cy.

Source: Cabinet approves electric charging station scheme | Cyprus Mail

Police on Thursday reiterated calls to parents over child safety in cars following a Limassol accident that led to the hospitalisation of a 7-year-old child who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt.

Meanwhile, the boy’s parents have claimed their son was buckled up in the front passenger seat.

The accident occurred around 3.40pm on Wednesday, when a car driving on Vasileos Pavlou Street entered Omonia Avenue and under conditions that are being investigated, crashed into another car which then hit the wall of a nearby store.

The second car was driven by the grandmother of the boy who was seated in the front. They were both taken via ambulance to the hospital as a precaution. The boy, who suffered bruises on his chest and head, was then taken to the Makarios children’s hospital in Nicosia for precautionary reasons where he continues to be treated.

The accident caused an uproar on social media as it was initially reported the child was not wearing a seatbelt, citing information from traffic police.

A netizen posted an article of the accident on social media explaining the importance of the use of car seats for young children. “For those of you who say ‘hush, but why do you still have the 8-year-old in a child car seat? What’s the point of keeping him in a seat until he’s 12? We didn’t have [child] seats and we grew up just fine.’ That’s the reason”.

The parents of the child rushed to defend themselves, saying that police have yet to take a statement from them.

“I have as a witness the person who pulled the child out of the car. They told me that to rescue him, they took off the seatbelt he was wearing,” the father of the child told AlphaNews on Thursday.

In the same article however, the online media cited sources from the Limassol traffic police who suggested the child was ejected from his seat and hit the windshield.

Meanwhile, road safety officer Giorgos Milis confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that examinations have not been concluded, so police have yet to determine whether the child was buckled up.

According to the relevant legislation, children up to 135cm height have to be on a child car seat, while those over 135cm to 150cm should be using a booster seat.

“The seatbelt should always be across the shoulder and chest as it is in adults, if it’s in the right position in the middle of the upper body then the child is safe,” the officer said.

Although police advise that children under the age of 16 are seated in the back seat, the law allows for minors to be in the front seat, since there are vehicles without back seats.

But Millis stressed that when younger children are seated in the front, the airbag should be electronically deactivated since it could cause injuries.

“We have had such cases in the past. Airbags can injure a child or break a child’s teeth,” the road safety officer said.

Source: Police call on parents to ensure children’s safety in vehicles | Cyprus Mail