Filenews 12 March 2022 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
In 26 road confluences in all cities of Cyprus, most accidents with injured or even dead are noted, according to updated data from the Traffic Department of the Police Headquarters.
According to a presentation made the day before yesterday at the seminar on the road safety program, organized by the Department of Public Works of the Ministry of Transport, by the assistant traffic officer Harry Evripidou, a black spot and 25 dangerous spots have been recorded after a study of road accidents. A black spot on the road network is considered to be the one in which three accidents occur or more with injuries or even fatalities. A dangerous point is considered to be the one in which two road collisions occur with injured or killed. Previously the black spots were over 80, but now the term has changed according to European standards.
It is noted that the "Cyprus Road Safety" Programme is part of the joint effort of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to support the Member States of the European Union through the Safer Transport Platform Programme.
According to a study carried out in Cyprus, the islets that are constructed by separating the roads of the cities, are considered as extremely helpful since they correct the mistakes of the drivers. A typical case is that of Nikos Pattichis Avenue in Limassol, where 700 accidents had been recorded before the construction of an islet and after its installation, despite the reactions, the collisions were reduced to zero.
The black and dangerous points, after the analysis of road traffic collisions, according to the presentation of Mr. Evripidou, are:
Black spot:
► Promahon Eleftherias Street, at the junction with Kostas Pitsillides Street on the Limassol coastal road (near the Petrolina service station).
The danger spots are:
District of Nicosia - 11 points:
► 28th October Avenue, at the junction with Evripidou Street.
► Strovolos Avenue, at the junction with Machairas Street.
► Griva Digeni Avenue, at the junction with Prodromou Street.
► Griva Digeni Avenue, in the section of the road between Prodromou Street and Lord Byron Avenue.
► Griva Digeni Avenue, at the junction with Demosthenes Severis Street.
► Joseph Hadjiiosif Avenue, at the junction with Sinope Street.
► Limassol Avenue, at the junction with RIK Avenue.
► Akadimias Avenue, at the junction with Aglantzia Avenue (roundabout).
► Aglantzia Avenue, at the junction with Larnakos Avenue (roundabout).
► Famagusta Avenue, at the junction with Kantaras Street.
► John Kennedy Avenue, in the section of the road between Zappeion and Sofokleous streets.
Limassol District - 7 points:
► Makariou Avenue, in the section of the road between Giannoulis Halepas and Georgiou Averoff streets.
► Agia zoni street, at the junction with Theklas Lysioti street.
► Makarios Avenue, at the junction with Markou Drakou Street.
► Christou Keli Street, at the junction with Christos Oikonomidis Street.
► Democritus Street, at the junction with Cyclades Street.
► Promahon Eleftherias Street, at the junction with Takis Christodoulou Street.
► Limassol-Pafos motorway, despite the Erimi exit.
Larnaca District - 4 points:
► Artemis Avenue, at the junction with Tepe Street.
► Griva Digeni Avenue, at the junction with Leonidas Kioupi Street.
► Larnaka-Ayia Napa motorway, despite the exit of Livadia.
► Larnaka-Ayia Napa motorway, near Rizoelia I/C.
Pafos District - Two points:
► Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, at the junction with Agapenoros Street.
► Mesogi Avenue, at the junction with Panicou Panai Street (roundabout).
Famagusta District:
► Liopetri-Avgorou road, between 30th-40th km.
After locating a dangerous or black spot, the Traffic Police takes increased surveillance measures with patrols, while the installation of fixed traffic cameras is planned to prevent further accidents.
In one month subsidy of motorcyclists
The transport ministry is preparing in a month's time to announce a subsidy for motorcyclists to obtain special uniforms and helmets to save them from any involvement in road collisions. As the Minister of Transport, Yiannis Karousos, told "F", the plan is ready, while a plan is being prepared for the transfer of soldiers to and from their units, in order to avoid the use of vehicles and their possible involvement in accidents. At the same time, an amending bill is being prepared, so that in advertisements related to road safety, there is an obligation for the advertiser to indicate a message for the prevention of traffic accidents, as is the case in cigarette packets for the damage it causes.
In his address at the seminar, Mr. Karousos referred to the fact that in the 1980s to 1990s we had more than 130 deaths from road collisions per year, now with collective and targeted actions, it has been possible to reduce the number of deaths in the unpleasant toll of 45 to 50 dead.
He also said that the ministry of transport, communications and works is facing an unprecedented development effort with investments of more than 1.5 billion euros with a time horizon of about the next three years, with the focus of these efforts on the Department of Public Works in the transport sector. Our main development direction is to further deepen the competitiveness of the Cypriot economy in a sustainable and digitally transformed environment, inclusive and with a clear orientation of our actions in the less socio-economically privileged areas, he added.
