Filenews 24 September 2020 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
Tolerance for exceeding the speed limit in cities and residential areas in general is permanently reduced and from the 20% in force so far it falls to 10%.
The Road Safety Board yesterday approved the Traffic Department's recommendation to lower the limit, on the grounds that most fatal and serious road collisions occur in cities.
Traffic essentially decided to follow the English model that provides tolerance of 10% plus two kilometers.Thus, from 1 October drivers will be denounced as follows according to the Director of Traffic, Giannaki Georgiou:
- For a limit of up to 30 km (urban roads and others) the tolerance will be up to 35 km and from 36 and above offenders will be reported.
- For a limit of 50 km or more which is the most common in towns and villages, the tolerance will be up to 57 km and from 58 and above there will be complaints from drivers. So far the complaints have been made from 63 km or more.
- For a limit of 65 km. tolerance will be 73.5 km. and of the 74 complaints will be made.
It does not change the tolerance limit of 20% on motorways and long-city roads which are 100 km and 80 respectively and remains at 120 km and 97, respectively.
According to information provided by the "F", the Department of Public Works argued that the tolerance limit on motorways should also be reduced to 110 km plus two, but this proposal was not accepted because there is no serious problem of fatal road collisions on major roads, since deaths range from one to three a year.
The Road Safety Council also addressed the issue of extending the powers of municipal traffic wardens, with the Minister of Justice, Emily Yolitis, calling on municipalities to contact the Chief of Police asking for permission to give traffic wardens powers to report drivers for 53 offences other than those entitled to report them now.
Already, the Municipalities of Nicosia and Ayia Napa have proceeded to extend the powers of their traffic wardens. Those municipalities that express an interest, then their members who will report, will be trained by the Police.
