Filenews 25 February 2022 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
Before the implementation of the photo-labelling system (cameras of the Traffic Police) exceptions began to be requested. According to a law proposal submitted to Parliament by Pafos MP Chrysanthos Savvidis, it is requested to exclude the vehicles of Driving Schools from being reported by the cameras, when the training vehicle is driven by an apprentice.
According to Mr. Savvidis, because it is considered that the vehicles of the Driving Schools become a special case during training, that is why he asks for them to be exempted from the complaints. According to him, the purpose of the draft law is to amend the law on traffic offences (use of photo-labelling devices) so as not to prosecute and not to serve written notice for extrajudicial regulation, in cases of recording violations of non-compliance with traffic lights or violation of the speed limit, during which the driver of the vehicle is a trainee driver during training with a vehicle belonging to a licensed driver trainer or Driving School, provided that the violation is minor and does not have a serious impact on the use of the road network.
The issue, according to information from "F", was raised at a recent meeting of the Transport Committee, with the representatives of the Police and the Department of Road Transport not agreeing with the amendment, because they consider that there are no grounds for exemption.
Today, anyone who breaks the law is reported by the cameras and only in very exceptional cases, such as ambulances, fire brigades and patrol vehicles that respond to an emergency as well as the escorts of visitors, are excluded. The Traffic Police estimates that if the exceptions start then others will ask, while the driver trainers have brakes so they can intervene in case a trainee is driving recklessly.
Meanwhile, the number of complaints from the eight cameras (four mobile and four fixed) fell to 600 a day from the 800 last month and the 1,500 that arrived during the trial phase last October.
Most violations are recorded in Nicosia, due to fixed cameras. They are a violation of red and speed. As of April, 16 mobile phones and 20 fixed cameras are coming, which will be installed in places in all cities, while by the end of the year 66 more fixed cameras are coming. The Traffic Police recommends that drivers comply with the speed limits so that they are not reported.
Due to the advent of cameras, it has been observed that many drivers procure the special application (with a subscription) that warns you that you are approaching a camera of the Traffic Police and for the speed limit that exists in each area.
