Filenews 30 July 2025
The 'Safe Road' approach aims to create a road environment that takes into account human errors, which will inevitably happen, and limits their impact, in order to avoid collisions or reduce their consequences. This is explained by Transport Engineer Neophytos Zavridis, who has participated in traffic studies for both private and public projects, as well as in important regeneration and urban planning interventions in various areas of Cyprus.
Mr. Zavridis, who was a member of the drafting team of the 1st Strategic Plan for Road Safety in Cyprus 2002 – 2006 and the 2nd Strategic Plan for Road Safety in Cyprus 2012 – 2020, while he also represented the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus in the Road Safety Council from 2002 to 2014, mentioned in his statements that road safety is based on pillars such as education, culture, infrastructure, road maintenance and policing.
He also referred to the necessity of supporting the Road Safety Council. Regarding the new Strategic Plan for Road Safety of the Republic of Cyprus for the period 2021-2030, Mr. Zavridis said that actions should be monitored on an annual basis.
As Mr. Zavridis explained, education takes time, which today in Cyprus there is no adequate and systematic training, except for a police officer to go to a school to do some training or to a camp.
Indicatively, he said that we see motorcyclists of large displacement on the streets every day who have a helmet, however, he added that in other countries it is forbidden to drive if you do not have a specific uniform, which uniform has special protective light metals that when you fall off the motorcycle they will protect you.
Regarding the infrastructure, Mr. Zavridis said that the road must be good, adding that in Cyprus our roads are not tragic but need great improvement, especially in terms of maintenance or sidewalks. He also noted that we need proper bicycle lanes so that we do not lose three to four cyclists and motorcyclists every year. He also added that the infrastructure needs money and a lot of time.
Regarding policing, he stressed that strict policing with zero tolerance is required, also explaining that the result of a traffic accident is different when the vehicle is running at 30 kilometers, or with 130 kilometers or with 100 or 60 kilometers. As well as policing by the traffic police of the Municipalities.
Referring to the implementation of actions, he said that these must be based on five main pillars of the "Safe System": effective road safety management, safe roads and mobility, safe vehicles, safe road users and effective response after a road collision.
Cyprus, like any other state, presents some peculiarities in the field of road safety and some specific problems. The most important of these, said Mr. Zavridis, is that the vast majority of road deaths and serious injuries are recorded on urban roads (in built-up areas of cities and villages).
There is still an extremely high rate of road deaths and serious injuries to motorcyclists and especially motorcyclists. Also extremely high is the rate of road deaths and serious injuries of young male drivers, but also a very high percentage of road deaths of foreigners residing in Cyprus. In addition, the rate of road deaths of pedestrians is very high and the percentage of road deaths of elderly pedestrians is particularly high.
He also added that there is a generalized indiscipline in the traffic rules, with the main and most serious violations, the violation of speed limits, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the violation of the red traffic light, the non-use of a seat belt and especially in the back seats, the non-use of child restraint systems, the non-use of helmets, the use of mobile phones without hands-free, but also the extensive illegal parking.
In conclusion, he pointed out that, during the implementation of the strategic plan, it is imperative to make an annual report on the actions implemented and the planning of the actions that will be implemented in the following year, as well as an evaluation of the effectiveness in the implementation of the defined policies.
It is noted that the Strategic Plan should be updated and enriched with new or revised policies and actions, throughout its implementation period, depending on the effectiveness of the policies and actions implemented, but also on the new developments in the field of road safety
With regard to the Strategic Plan 2021-2030, he continued, this includes a description of the methodology for the preparation of the Project, data collection, recording of best Road Safety practices applied internationally and comparisons of the road safety levels of Cyprus with the corresponding levels of the other EU Member States. Description of the current Road Safety situation in Cyprus, with citation of relevant statistics, an assessment of the implementation of the current Strategic Plan 2012-2020, as well as proposed policies, targets, road safety indicators and an action plan for the period 2021-2030.
In conclusion, Mr. Zavridis said that the strategic plans that exist must be implemented, monitored and utilized.
It is noted that Mr. Zavridis is also a member of various professional bodies in Cyprus and abroad such as CIHT (Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation) and CILT (Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport). In the years 2008 – 2012 he taught the course of Road Construction and the course of Traffic Engineering to the students of the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Cyprus.
CNA
