DISY MP Fotini Tsiridou has presented a comprehensive proposal to address what she called the “traffic chaos” in Cyprus, outlining five key pillars for decongestion and sustainable urban mobility. Speaking to Protoselido, Tsiridou said her proposal, submitted to parliament last Thursday, aims to provide a framework of “common sense and low cost” solutions.
She noted that the proposal should gain broad support once discussed by the competent parliamentary committee. “Nothing is perfect, but this is a matter of common sense,” she said, adding that it requires no increase to the state budget.
Traffic management centres
The first pillar calls for the creation of traffic management centres in each district under the relevant ministry. These centres would regulate traffic lights and flow, coordinate responses to incidents, and intervene immediately in case of congestion.
“We must start thinking like a modern European country,” Tsiridou said.
School safety zones
The second measure focuses on school safety zones, designed to reduce congestion around schools during peak hours.
“It’s a huge problem every morning,” she said. “Hundreds of students mean hundreds of cars. During those hours, access should be limited to school buses, parents, and residents of the area.”
Tsiridou added that similar measures have been adopted successfully in other European countries.
Priority lanes and delivery hours
The third pillar proposes priority lanes for public transport and multi-passenger vehicles, as well as regulated delivery hours to reduce double parking and blockages.
“In Limassol, for example, half the lane is often taken up by trucks unloading,” she said, stressing the need to legally define delivery schedules for shops, cafés, and restaurants.
Promoting telework
The fourth pillar highlights teleworking in the private and semi-public sectors. Although the law was passed last year, Tsiridou said it needs a clear framework to be applied consistently. “It shouldn’t depend on personal choice. Proper regulation will also ease pressure on the roads,” she explained.
Staggered working hours
The fifth measure concerns staggered working hours in the public sector, dividing shifts into three time blocks — 07:00–15:00, 08:00–16:00, and 09:00–17:00 — to reduce peak-time traffic.
“We’re already seeing it help, but we must use it strategically for decongestion,” she concluded.
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