Filenews 21 March 2025 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
Competent services are attempting to put an end to the uproar with electric scooters on the streets and the dangers of mourning victims, as a study is being prepared to take additional measures.
The issue was urgently raised yesterday at the meeting of the Road Safety Council, which also discussed a proposal to increase the number of out-of-court cases for four offenses, as well as the definition of 30km zones in seven areas of cities. As the Minister of Transport Alexis Vafeadis said yesterday, the issue of personal mobility devices, the so-called e-scooters, was raised, for which an action plan has been drawn up "with which we intend to propose suggestions and find measures that will upgrade road safety". He added that the intention is to regulate the use of these devices with the ultimate aim of reducing or preventing accidents.
On this issue, according to information from "F", Public Works will prepare recommendations to the Road Safety Council.
At the same time, as Mr. Vafeadis mentioned, the Ministry of Transport is starting an action to implement a project for the implementation of 30 km per hour zones within urban centers. After mentioning that road accidents within urban centers are much more than what happens on intercity roads, he stressed that this is considered an action that will upgrade road safety and encourage the use of the road network and sidewalks, in areas within urban centers, by pedestrians and cyclists. For the implementation of the plan, the municipalities will be subsidized on the basis of a plan of a total amount of half a million euros from the Ministry's budget.
The Minister of Justice, Marios Hartsiotis, referred to the progress with the training school for offenders, where the submission of bids ends on March 28. The project will be awarded by June and by the end of the year it is expected that the School will be ready to operate.
According to him, the possibility of increasing the penalties of fines was also considered, which, after studies showed that they lead to fatal accidents. Before the Council there was a suggestion for an increase in extrajudicial cases for helmets, use of mobile phones, belts and for motorcycle license plates. The Council decided to refer the matter to a Committee which will make recommendations.
