Filenews 24 January 2023
By next Tuesday, it is expected that the new Traffic Police cameras that have already been installed in five of the six total locations in Nicosia and Limassol will be received.
On the basis of the contract, it is foreseen that by January 31, the contractor will have to deliver to the contracting authority, which is the Department of Electromechanical Services, 20 new fixed cameras and another 16 mobile ones. However, information from "F" states that both mobile and fixed points will be received gradually so as not to "pressurise" the system from a new rain of complaints and on the other hand to familiarize drivers with the new points.
The issue was discussed yesterday at the Road Safety Council, as it is estimated that cameras contributed to last year's reduction in fatal road collisions. Each point received will check whether the cameras are working normally and send the correct data to the system so that the fine is issued.
The new locations where the new cameras were installed in Nicosia are:
>> Junction Leof. Strovolou with Machaira Street.
>> Junction Leof. Makarios with Digenis Akritas and Spyrou Kyprianou (Lycabettus lights).
>> Junction Leof. Griva Digenis with Prodromou.
>> Junction Leof. Limassol with Armenia.
In Limassol the two locations where cameras are now installed are:
>> Junction Leof. Arch. Makarios III with Arch. Leontius I.
>> Junction Leof. Arch. Makarios III with Agia Zoni.
At the moment, the cameras may already be installed and flash on, but they are not yet handing out of court. Only the cameras at the intersection of Grivas Digenis and Demosthenes Severis avenues in Nicosia are in official operation, as well as the four mobile phones that drivers can detect anywhere.
During yesterday's meeting of the Road Safety Council, its president, the Minister of Transport, Giannis Karousos, referred to the 17% reduction in fatal road collisions that occurred last year, with the death toll rising to 37, the lowest number in the Republic since data are kept. Mr. Karousos referred to the goal of reducing fatalities by 50% by 2030 and stressed that last year's success is due to the synergy of all involved bodies and services. He also referred to the promotion of road safety in schools from kindergarten to high school.
The Council was presented with the causes of last year's traffic collisions, mainly due to the non-wearing of seat belts and helmets, speeding, alcohol and drugs and illegal right-turns.
For her part, the Minister of Justice, Stefi Drakou, said that the collective effort and the actions taken brought a good result in reducing fatal road collisions and serious injuries. He thanked the two road safety ambassadors, Michalis Sophocleous and Alexis Demetriou, the involved officers and stressed that efforts should continue in 2023. Mrs. Drakou recalled the tightening of sentences, the fact that last year 546 lectures were given attended by 15,000 people, 128 visits to the Traffic Education Park by 4,600 students and 56 experiential workshops in the National Guard attended by 4,000 soldiers.
