Filenews 14 December 2020
It was signed today at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, by the Department of Electromechanical Services as Contracting Authority and by the company Delegate State & Local Solutions, Inc., as a Contractor, the Contract for the study, installation, maintenance and operation of the photo-labelling system. The signing ceremony of the Contract was attended by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Giannis Karousos, and the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Ms. Emily Yolitis.
The project concerns the study, installation, operation and maintenance of the Photo-pointing system on a pancyprian basis and includes ninety (90) fixed cameras in thirty (30) locations and twenty (20) mobile cameras. It is noted that this photo-marking system, in addition to recording the excess at the speed limit, will process and record additional violations of the road traffic code, including non-use of the safety belt, non-use of motorcycle helmets, use of a mobile phone, non-compliance with the traffic light when the colour is red and violation of the waiting line in traffic lights.
The project will be implemented in three (3) phases, as follows:
• The Pilot phase, which is expected to be completed within 6 months of the signing of the contract, involves the operation of four (4) mobile cameras and the installation and operation of four (4) fixed cameras in one (1) location. In addition, the centre for the collection and processing of infringements will be installed and operated where notifications/calls will begin to be issued which will be sent to the offenders. This phase will be piloted for 3 months.
• The first phase to be completed within 6 months of the completion of the pilot phase, i.e. 15 months from today, will include the operation of another (16) mobile cameras and the installation and operation of another twenty (20) fixed cameras in a further six (6) locations.
• The second phase, which will be completed within one year of the completion of the first phase, involves the installation of additional sixty-six (66) fixed cameras (90 in total) in another twenty-three (23) locations. The infringement collection and processing centre will have the full operational capacity required to provide the necessary services satisfactorily.
The amount of the Contract is estimated at € 34,076,970.00 (thirty-four million, seventy-six thousand, nine hundred and seventy euros) plus VAT, Approximately €8 million relates to the supply, and installation of the equipment while the remaining €26 million relates to the maintenance and operation of the equipment including the delivery of calls by the Contractor.
In statements following the signing of the Contract, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Giannis Karousos, stated, inter alia, the following:
"I am pleased with the signing of the Convention as many studies show that photo-marking systems significantly reduce road collisions and this project aims at road safety and the protection of human life.
As a government we have stepped up our efforts to increase road safety and reduce road collisions through the implementation of new systems. There is no doubt that the photo-pointing system to be installed in Cyprus will reduce road collisions where it will be installed. It is worth noting that during the period when a corresponding photo-stamping system was in place at 12 points in Cyprus, road collisions decreased by 53.57%.
As a Member State of the European Union, the Republic of Cyprus has adopted the European target of reducing road deaths by 50% and reducing serious injuries by 50% in the decade 2021-2030. The aim of this Convention is to drastically reduce deaths and injuries caused by road collisions. By installing the photo-marking system we will improve the level of road safety particularly in urban centres where the majority of fatal road collisions occur.
With today's signing of the Convention we further contribute to the road safety of our country. This success is due to the collective and effort of many ministries and departments of the state involved for many years. That is why I would like to congratulate and thank all those who have helped in every way to achieve this individual objective. I would like to thank for all the cooperation both the Minister of Justice and Public Order Ms. Emily Yolitis and the Cyprus Police and to congratulate in particular the Deputy Director of the Department of Electromechanical Services Mr. Markos Markou and the officers of the Department of Electromechanical Services who undertook the implementation of the project as the Contracting Authority".
Subsequently, the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Emily Yolitis, pointed out that photo-marking systems were and are the strongest tool of the countries that have managed to achieve a significant reduction in road traffic collisions and therefore the installation of the photo-marking system in our country is an important step towards improving the road safety of all road users.
Appealing to all road users, drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians to be more careful when on the roads, Ms. Yolitis said: "In conjunction with the other measures already being taken and planned to be taken in the coming period under the new Strategic Plan for the decade 2021-30, we hope that citizens will be able to comply with the Road Traffic Code. , we will deal with behaviours that are not acceptable and, by extension, we will achieve the desired reduction in serious and fatal conflicts.
In addition, with the installation of the photo-labelling system, we aim at better policing and the immediacy of the penalty, important factors in preventing and reducing traffic offences. The use of fixed and mobile cameras will enable us to make better use of the members of the Police and to focus their efforts on the control of other serious traffic offences."
Eyenews/AFP
