Filenews 2 November 2021
Answers to 20 questions of the public are given by the Police regarding the photo-tagging system, solving all the questions that may have been created. The aim of the placement of traffic cameras, as reported by the Police, is to change the behaviour of drivers and to comply with the highway code.
-Why were the cameras installed?
The purpose of installing the new photo-labelling system is to reduce serious and fatal road traffic collisions.
-When will the cameras be installed and operated?;
In a pilot phase, 4 fixed and 4 mobile cameras will be installed.
The pilot phase will run from 25 October and until 31/12/2021 and only observations will be sent. Then another 16 mobiles and another 20 fixed ones will be installed and then another 66 fixed ones will be installed within 12 months after the receipt of the first phase.
-How many cameras will be installed;
90 fixed cameras will be installed at 30 points and 20 mobile cameras that will be located on tripods outside the vehicle or inside a vehicle.
-Drivers will know where there will be cameras;
Before the installation point of a mobile or fixed camera there will be a warning sign where the driver of the vehicle will be warned of the presence of a photo-tagging camera.
-What is the speed limit of each road;
The speed limit is:
50KAH In residential areas or where there is a sign
65 KAH Where there is a sign
80KAH On expressways (e.g. L/so)/ where there is a relevant sign
100KAH On the Motorway
-How many cameras will be operating from October 25, 2021?
As of October 25, 2021, 4 fixed cameras will operate at the intersection of Demosthenes Severis with Griva Digenis in Nicosia. In addition, 4 mobile phones will operate throughout Cyprus and will be placed in residential areas, on the secondary road network and on the motorway.
-From when do complaints [ie fines] start;
From January 1, 2022
-What violations will be detected and recorded by the cameras;
The violations that the photo-labelling system will detect are:
Speed limit violations,
Violation of a red light,
Violation of the mandatory stop line in photo-controlled contributions.
-Will other violations be detected?
Yes, when the system detects any of the above violations, it will also record violations such as:
Non-use of the seat belt.
Non-use of helmets by motorcyclists.
And driving with non-free hands (mobile phone or other object).
-When the vehicle will be within a controlled junction with a green light and then the vehicle moves to the right, when the red light is turned on, it will be recorded as an infringement;
No.
-Turn on a flash to figure out if I made a violation;
When an infringement occurs, a flash (red or white) lights up and may or may not be noticed.
-There will be complaints during the pilot phase of the system's operation;
Until 31/12/2021, letters of formal notice to advise an offence will be sent but will not incur any fine or penalty.
-How the areas where the cameras will be installed were selected;
After a study, it was found that specific points are black or dangerous places where fatal or serious road collisions occur and were selected to place the cameras.
-How will the driver who is found to be committing a traffic offence be informed?
When an infringement is detected, it will be sent by registered out of court via the post office to the owner of the vehicle. If the owner is not located, service will be made by an authorized subsidy or by the Police.
In case the owner of the vehicle was not the driver of the vehicle, he will have the obligation to declare to the Police who the driver was, within 15 days.
The owner must complete and submit to the contractor part B of the extrajudicial, with the full details of the offending driver. If the driver accepts then, he can pay the fine.
-Until when will I be able to pay the extrajudicial?
The extrajudicial fee must be paid within 30 days otherwise the amount will be increased by half and can be paid within 45 days.
After 45 days the case will be referred to the court.
With the payment of the fine, it is considered that the penalty points mentioned in the notice have been accepted.
The extrajudicial fine can be paid online, through the police website www.police.gov.cy or through a payment provider chosen by the Republic (JCC).
-Can the extrajudicial be paid in instalments;
No, according to the relevant legislation it cannot be paid in instalments.
-The time of repayment of the fine can be extended;
No. Under the relevant legislation, the repayment period of the fine cannot be extended.
-There are infringements for which no extrajudicial will be issued and the offender should appear before a Court;
Yes, when:
(a) The number of penalty points exceeds the limit,
(b) Exceeding the speed limit is beyond 75% of the permitted limit,
(c) The offender is not a holder of a driving licence or has been deprived of the right to hold or obtain a driving licence.
(d) The category of driver's license held by the offender is not in accordance with the category of driver's license required to drive the vehicle he was found to be driving.
-What happens when the offender is not detected by the post office;
In the event that the offender is not detected by the post office in order to receive the registered letter / (form F276F), then it is returned to the Contractor and a subsidy of the company will make two efforts to locate and serve the fine on the offender.
If it is still not possible to locate him, efforts will be made again by the Police.
-The owner can access the company's website;
The owner can access a specific website (www.CyCameraSystem.com)so that he can see a photo of the vehicle and the driver committing the traffic offence at the time of the violation as well as other information related to the violation.
For more information, the public can call the telephone number 80008009.
