Speed reduction from 50 to 30km/h being considered

The department of public works has prepared a study to lower the speed limit from 50km/h to 30km/h in some urban areas, following the request of the road safety council, according to a report on Wednesday. The goal is to reduce the number of fatal accidents and emissions, and to encourage more sustainable modes of transport. The study is ready to be submitted to Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, as reported in Philenews1.

The speed limit reduction will mainly affect roads that have high traffic and pedestrian activity, where driving faster than 50km/h poses a higher risk. Another factor will be whether a road or an intersection has a high rate of accidents. The police traffic department supports the speed limit reduction, as it has been proven that reducing the speed limit by 10 per cent leads to a 20 per cent decrease in road accidents. In Cyprus, 60 per cent of road accidents happen in residential areas, according to the report.

The study suggests several areas where the speed limit should be lowered: in Nicosia, Kaimakli and Aglantzia; three areas in Limassol, including in Mesa Geitonia; and Larnaca’s city centre. The study claims that lowering the speed limit from 50km/h to 30km/h would not have a significant impact on traffic flow and might even motivate people to use alternative means of transport, such as bicycles and scooters. The current law for electric scooters allows them to be used on roads where the speed limit is 30km/h; otherwise, they have to use bike lanes or specific routes designated by municipalities.

Some areas in the city centres have already implemented the 30km/h speed limit, while in Agioi Omologites in Nicosia, some roads near a school have a 20km/h speed limit. A decision by the EU parliament in 2011 urged the member states to adopt the speed limit reduction and the trend in Europe has been to apply the 30km/h speed limit throughout urban areas.

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Cameras to be relocated to improve road safety

Two traffic cameras from Nicosia will be moved to the Limassol junction where a fatal accident killed four family members on New Year’s Day.
The Road Safety Council decided to install two systems at the light-controlled junction to prevent future accidents.
The cameras from Nicosia were deemed ineffective or unnecessary due to changes in traffic patterns or low violations.
The suspect of the accident, a 44-year-old man, remains in custody and will face trial in February.

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Damage to road signs now a specific offence

The parliament of Cyprus has passed a law that makes it a criminal offense to damage, deface or in any way alter a traffic sign.

The legislation, amending the Road Safety Law, provides for sentences of either up to six months prison, or a fine up to €1,700, or both running concurrently. The bill was passed by a unanimous vote.

The law prohibits writing, engraving, or drawing on traffic signs using any means – such as spray paint – and also the destruction, removal or defacement of such signs.

The legislation was passed to deter “mindless individuals” from vandalizing traffic signs, which can inconvenience the public and sometimes lead to dangerous situations for drivers. The state spends between €200,000 to €300,000 on restoring or repairing traffic signs every year.

The Road Transport Department is now replacing defaced traffic signs with new ones coated with a special foil that allows for vandals’ inscriptions to be rubbed out with a sponge.

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Paphos Traffic Cameras go live on the 22nd January

Starting from January 22, the traffic surveillance system in Paphos will be extended with the operation of 16 fixed cameras at five locations.

The aim is to reduce severe and fatal road collisions, according to a statement released by traffic police on Monday.

These cameras will monitor violations related to running red lights, crossing the white line and exceeding the speed limit.

  • Four cameras have been installed at the intersection of Europe avenue, Yiannos Kranidiotis and Georgios Savvas.
  • Four cameras will monitor the same violations at the intersection of Ellados avenue, Dimokratias avenue and Tassos Papadopoulos.
  • Four have been placed at the junction of Ayios Anargyros avenue, and Spyros Kyprianou with Agapinoros Street.
  • Two cameras will be positioned at the junction of Athens avenue and Christodoulos Sozos,
  • Two more at the intersection of Chlorakas avenue and Griva Digeni with Ayios Georgios street.

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Paphos to Polis Road close to collapse

File photo

Parts of the main Paphos to Polis Chrysochous road are becoming dangerous and prone to collapse at and around the entrance to the community of Giolou.

The road section has been closed off for months in the past, with detours required through Kathikas and Steni which could add up to 30 to 40 minutes to the journey to and from Paphos.

The community of Giolou itself has already spent close to €3,000 out of its own coffers to feed workers during the previous road works and pay people to be at the site guiding traffic at the detour points. Sylvia Antoniou, a community council member, noted that three new problem spots have appeared where the road substrate has become visible and collapse is likely imminent after rains. The problem doesn’t just affect Giolou, it affects residents of all the neighbouring communities.

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Slight increase in fatal car crashes in 2023

There was a slight increase in fatal traffic collisions in the Paphos district in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The assistant police chief, Michalis Nikolaou, reported that there were five fatal collisions in 2023, compared to four in 2022. Additionally, there was a slight increase in collisions involving minor injuries, which stood at 34 in 2023, up by two from the previous year. However, road collisions involving only material damage fell in number, with a total of 284 occurring in 2023, while in 2022 there were 292.

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Cyprus Road Tax 2024 – Renewals start today

The Road Transport Department in Cyprus has announced that road tax renewals for the year 2024 will begin on January 4th and will run until March 10th.

The renewal can be done online, and the last day to renew and avoid a penalty is March 10th at midnight.

The road tax can be renewed for a period of three, six, nine, or twelve months.

The penalty for missing the deadline is €10 plus 10% of the road tax due.

It is also important to note that drivers must have insurance and MOT to renew their road tax.

The department advises against leaving it to the last minute as this could potentially lead to the system being overloaded and creating unnecessary hassle.

If you do not intend to renew your road tax for 2024, you must notify the Road Transport Department that the vehicle will be immobilized. This can be done online on the department’s website or physically at the department. Otherwise, you will still be obliged to pay the tax, whether the car is being used or not. In addition, the Road Transport Department states that vehicles that have not had their road tax renewed for the year 2023 and have not been declared as immobilized will be removed from the department’s register.

Further information can be found at the link below.

Road Tax – Circulation Licence – All about driving in Cyprus (cyprusdriving.net)

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Cyprus Road Deaths in 2023

According to a report by the Cyprus Mail, there were 34 fatalities in traffic accidents in Cyprus in 2023.

The data spans from the beginning of the year until January 31, 2024, marking 34 fatalities from 32 collisions.

The police have urged drivers to be cautious and follow traffic signals and instructions from on-duty police officers. The Christmas period had three fatal collisions resulting in three fatalities.

The first occurred last Friday afternoon in Limassol, claiming the life of a 54-year-old man from Pyrgos, Limassol. On Christmas day, a 36-year-old resident of Cyprus, originally from Ukraine, lost his life in a traffic accident in Limassol. A third died resulting from a crash on Christmas day on the Stroumbi – Tsadas road.

The police have intensified their presence on the roads during the New Year, and Epiphany holidays to ensure public safety, prevent fatal and serious accidents, and deter criminal activities.

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Road safety campaign seeks to inform the dangers of mobile phone use whilst driving

The Justice Minister Anna Procopiou has announced that there have been 26 fatal traffic accidents in Cyprus so far this year, resulting in 28 deaths. Of these, 9 were attributed to careless and distracted driving 1.

The article also mentions that a new road safety campaign has been launched to combat the use of mobile phones while driving. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of using mobile phones while driving and encourage drivers to focus on the road. The campaign is part of a wider effort to improve road safety in Cyprus 1.

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