Larnaca: About 3.30am today in Athens Avenue an 18 year old passenger on an motorcycle was seriously injured when the bike hit the pavement, and the rider a 17 year, old lost control.
The passenger had serious head injuries and was transferred to Nicosia General Hospital.
The rider was uninjured.
NICOSIA’S Limassol Avenue re-opened yesterday as sewage works ended two days ahead of schedule. The two lanes east of Limassol Avenue from the lights at Armenias Avenue to the lights at RIK Avenue were opened up at noon y, with the remainder of the lane later in the day.
Meanwhile maintenance on part of the highway from Paphos to Limassol will start on Monday until August 26.
Both lanes of the motorway, from Petra tou Romiou, to the exit for Pissouri will be temporarily closed to traffic from 9am to 5.30pm daily, from Monday to Thursday.
The two lanes, approximately 3km in length will have traffic diverted to the two southern lanes, which will be operating on a two-way traffic basis.
The Public Works Department apologises for the inconvenience the works will cause and invite the public to show the necessary understanding and compliance with the temporary road signs and police instructions.
Nicosia open, Paphos-Limassol highway closing for works – Cyprus Mail.
Chlorakas Avenue, Paphos: About 2:20 a.m. today, a car was in collision with a motorcycle being driven by a 20 year old man. The driver of the ran off and is being saught by police.
The motorcyclist was injured and conveyed to Paphos General Hospital.
ΤΡΟΧΑΙΟ ΔΥΣΤΥΧΗΜΑ
*** Γύρω στις 2.20π.μ., σήμερα, αυτοκίνητο το οποίο οδηγούσε άγνωστο πρόσωπο, στη λεωφόρο Χλώρακας στην Πάφο, κάτω από συνθήκες που διερευνώνται, συγκρούστηκε με μοτοσικλέτα που οδηγούσε 20χρονος από την Πάφο.
Από το δυστύχημα τραυματίστηκε ο 20χρονος, ο οποίος μεταφέρθηκε με ασθενοφόρο στο Γενικό Νοσοκομείο Πάφου, όπου κρατήθηκε για νοσηλεία.
Ο άγνωστος οδηγός αμέσως μετά το δυστύχημα εγκατέλειψε τη σκηνή.
Η Τροχαία Πάφου διερευνά τα αίτια του δυστυχήματος.
NICOSIA – The Nicosia-Larnaca highway will be partially closed between Monday and Friday due to cable connection works by a private company.
This is what an official announcement said on Thursday, adding that the partial closing – between 8am-5pm – will take place from Alambra’s flyover up to Koshi village.
Drivers are cautioned to be careful and reduce speed when approaching the flyover.
WORKS on the main thoroughfare going in and out of the capital’s Limassol Avenue, will be completed tonight, two days ahead of schedule, announced the Public Works Department yesterday.
The department yesterday thanked the Nicosia Sewerage Board, its advisers, the contractors, traffic police and its own officials for “excellent spirit of cooperation” shown during the planning and execution of the project.
The Cyprus Police, in cooperation with the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL), will take part in a pan-European campaign.
The speed control campaign will take place between the dates 23-29 August 2010.
Speeding is one of the main factors causing serious and fatal traffic accidents.
Ευρωπαϊκή εκστρατεία ελέγχου ταχύτητας
Η Αστυνομία, στο πλαίσιο της συνεργασίας της με το Ευρωπαϊκό Αστυνομικό Δίκτυο Τροχαίας (TISPOL), θα λάβει μέρος στη διεξαγωγή νέας πανευρωπαϊκής εκστρατείας.
Πρόκειται για εκστρατεία ελέγχου ταχύτητας, η οποία θα πραγματοποιηθεί μεταξύ των ημερομηνιών 23 – 29 Αυγούστου, του 2010.
Υπογραμμίζεται για ακόμη μια φορά, ότι η υπερβολική ταχύτητα, αποτελεί ένα από τους κύριους παράγοντες στην πρόκληση θανατηφόρων και σοβαρών τροχαίων δυστυχημάτων.
NICOSIA – Petrol prices went down by as much as 2.5 cent per litre Thursday following the arrival of cheaper shipments.
Petrolina went ahead with the price cuts and the other three companies, EKO Exxon Mobil and Lukoil, are expected to follow suit.
The new price of 95 octane is now between €1.058 and €1.060 compared to €1.085.
The price of 98 octane ranges between €1.089 and €1.091 compared to € 1.114 and€1.116 which was its price until Wednesday.
The price of diesel is now €1.057 and €1.060 compared to €1.072 and €1.075.
EKO is expected to proceed with cuts of 1 cent.
PAPHOS – A 28-year-old man from Polis was killed in a road accident in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the police report, Kyriakos Kyriakides was driving in the Kato Paphos area at around 5.30 when he lost control of his high powered motorcycle and crashed into a parked car.
He was rushed to Paphos General Hospital in critical condition and succumbed to his injuries an hour later.
Police suspect speeding was a significant factor in the crash.
Nicosia: WORK HAS begun on installing the sewage system on the other side of the Limassol Avenue dual carriageway. Work on the lanes coming into the capital were completed ahead of schedule, allowing both lanes to be open for the holiday weekend on August 14 and 15. Now, work has begun on the outgoing lane, meaning cars coming in and out of the capital have to share one side of the dual carriage way (the incoming one). While the project is due to be completed on August 23, the authorities have suggested it may finish one day ahead of schedule.
A 70-YEAR-OLD woman was lifted to safety by the Fire Service yesterday after driving over a cliff in the mountain regions yesterday.
In circumstances under investigation, Katerina Mandovanni drove over the cliff in the Spilia village area, landing with her car ten metres below.
According to senior fireman Leonidas Leonidou, the Fire Service received a distress call at 12.50pm. Vehicles from the Evrychou and central Nicosia station were sent to the scene immediately. On arrival, they found the woman outside of her car. Within 35 minutes, the 70-year-old was hoisted up on a spinal board and placed in the waiting ambulance.
She was taken to Nicosia General Hospital where she is being treated for facial injuries. No one else was in the car, said Leonidou
CYPRUS has been playing silly buggers with the issue of traffic cameras for the best part of the current decade, which is coming to a close. Years of talking about installing cameras at the beginning of the decade finally came to fruition in 2006 only to be scrapped again in 2007 because nothing was done right from beginning to end.
Problems included the numerous ‘grace periods’ given to drivers so they could adjust, followed by the failure of the cameras to properly store photographs. This resulted in some offenders getting away scot free while others were charged twice for the same offence.
In the end the Papadopoulos administration terminated the contract with the company providing the system.
In 2008 we were told the cameras would be back in 2010. Last year it would be 2011, they said, and we now hear that it will take another five years for a new system to be up and running.
Apart from the ridiculous amount of time it’s taking to install 300 cameras – an entire airport was built in only three years – the cost in terms of possible loss of life in the meantime cannot be measured.
During the last system’s pilot operation between 2006 and 2007 road accidents were reduced by 35 per cent, according to police. How many people will now die needlessly over the next five years?
Cyprus is only one of four EU countries that does not have traffic cameras, despite the fact that it recently topped the list of Europe’s speedsters, according to a report by the European Road Traffic Network (TISPOL).
The report It also revealed that in the space of one week, 1,719 people were caught speeding by police but given that on average speed cameras catch 3.7 times as many drivers than policemen, how many might have been caught had there been cameras installed?
Of course it’s always easy to blame the authorities for everything when the bottom line here is the mentality of the drivers themselves.
As Transport Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said recently: “The state cannot drive the car for us The final responsibility for our own safety belongs to each and every one of us”.
This is true. However since personal responsibility and regard for other road users remains – and is likely to remain – a foreign concept for most drivers for another generation at least, the state is left with the obligation to protect those who abide by the rules from being killed by irresponsible and selfish drivers.
And since police patrols can do only so much to stop the madness on the roads, the state needs to get its act together and stop pussyfooting around with the installation of speed cameras. Actual lives depend on it, at least in Cyprus.
Our View: Delays in bringing back speed cameras will cost lives – Cyprus Mail.
Limassol: Around 9.15 pm yesterday, there was a car collision on the Nick Pattichi Road Limassol, resulting in the serious injury of a 44 year old pedestrian.
The accident happened when a car being driven by a 21 year old struck the pedestrian as he tried to cross the street.
The pedestrian was transferred by ambulance to Limassol General Hospital where it was found to have suffered traumatic brain injury and fractures to the legs and hands. He was held for treatment in the Intensive Care Unit.
The state of his health is serious, but out of danger.
Σοβαρό τροχαίο δυστύχημα Τραυματίστηκε σοβαρά 44χρονη
*** Γύρω στις 9.15μ.μ. χθες, σημειώθηκε τροχαίο δυστύχημα στην οδό Νίκου Παττίχη στη Λεμεσό, με αποτέλεσμα το σοβαρό τραυματισμό 44χρονης.
Το δυστύχημα συνέβη όταν αυτοκίνητο που οδηγούσε 21χρονος, κάτω από συνθήκες που διερευνώνται, παρέσυρε και τραυμάτισε την 44χρονη, η οποία εκείνη τη στιγμή διασταύρωνε το δρόμο.
Η 44χρονη μεταφέρθηκε με ασθενοφόρο στο Γενικό Νοσοκομείο Λεμεσού, όπου διαπιστώθηκε ότι υπέστη κρανιοεγκεφαλική κάκωση και κατάγματα στα πόδια και τα χέρια και κρατήθηκε για νοσηλεία στη Μονάδα Εντατικής Θεραπείας.
Η κατάσταση της υγείας της κρίνεται σοβαρή, αλλά εκτός κινδύνου.
Η Τροχαία Λεμεσού διερευνά τα αίτια του δυστυχήματος.
THE NEW Nicosia bus system, although a month behind schedule, will be fully operational with new timetables ready for distribution by the end of the month, said the head of OSEL, the company running the capital’s buses.
Iordanis Iordanou said that since the company took over operations of the Nicosia bus system last month, 20 out of the 21 planned bus routes have been introduced. OSEL was using the downtime of the slow summer months in the capital to train drivers on the 21st route which cuts across Nicosia.
Previously, Iordanou had promised to complete the new system for Nicosia by August 1, with timetables and routes made available to the public. However, by August 2, only 20 of the 21 routes were introduced, and the information leaflets had yet to be sent for printing.
“The timetables have been finished and sent off to the printers. They’ll be ready sometime around August 20. We’ll be printing around 300,000 pocket leaflets with the timetables and routes for all 21 routes planned for Nicosia,” said Iordanou.
Another 150,000 leaflets with information on single routes will also be printed for each of the 21 routes. These leaflets will show the passenger which other bus routes pass through each bus stop on that specific route, allowing them to plan a more diverse route across the capital.
The leaflets will be printed in Greek and English and will be distributed at bus stops, in buses and placed in popular magazines.
“By September 1, we will go full steam ahead with our advertising campaign. We also have 20 new buses that have arrived for the rural routes, which will also start from September 1,” said the OSEL chief.
The government has made popular use of island-wide public transport a target, with the aim of increasing public use of buses from two per cent to ten per cent by 2019. The new scheme promises easy and efficient transport throughout the island, including both inner city and inter-city transport, introducing a greater frequency of buses, more routes including night buses, reduced fares and state of the art vehicles.
The new system was officially launched in early July, despite efforts by parliament to postpone it until after the summer. Deputies showed a sensitive ear to disgruntled bus drivers who failed to negotiate new terms of employment or compensation with the Communications Ministry and new bus companies.
The drivers’ lawyer Charalambos Prountzos has claimed that around half of the licensed buses across the island are out of the system, with the biggest opposition to the new scheme found in Cyprus, where 300 of the 470 licensed buses are not part of the system.
The ministry stuck to its guns however and went ahead with its implementation, saying its doors remained open for the remaining bus drivers to discuss compensation or employment.
Iordanou did not rule out more routes for the Nicosia district once the 21 were fully operational.
“People are using the buses. Despite the summer months, we’re seeing a good increase. Touch wood, it’s going well,” he said.
Changes being felt but people still confused
By Darya Alikhani and Ariadne Lindahl
PROMISING easy and efficient transport with new vehicles, new routes, increased frequency and night buses as well as reduced fares, some changes can already be felt by those using public transport.
Leila Dapat, a regular user said: “Since July, the buses are all new and air conditioned. Before they were horrible. It’s also cheaper”
A monthly bus card which used to cost €45 is now down to €30. A single bus ticket within Nicosia has gone down from €1.30 to €1 and travelling to the surrounding villages used to cost €4 but is now down to €2.
At the moment, some confusion still reigns as regards to promised routes and the timetables, which were supposed to be in place by August 1.
The information available varies online. The OSEL website currently has a timetable up that is not yet in use with three-digit bus routes like 112, while the website for Nicosia Buses – no longer the company name – has one that resembles the old system, which is partly out of date.
Only the timetables available at the Solomou Square bus kiosk are correct for the time being, even though they may also change at a moment’s notice so people are to regularly check schedules. Users can also call the OSEL helpline at 77 77 77 55.
Commenting on his experience, first-time user Anoja from Sri Lanka said: “They were helpful!” referring to bus staff manning the kiosk. Marian from the Philippines who takes the bus every weekend also had no complaints.
There were a few however, who were less than satisfied. “The buses are late” said Michael from Deftera, an everyday user. Maroulla, a pensioner added: “It’s better than a week ago, but they still need to work on organising things.” Rana Boulan Akhtar from Pakistan said: “Sometimes they’re late, but they’re ok”.
Most of those using the buses are immigrants and pensioners some of whom appeared to be having a hard time. “I’m a senior citizen and I have problems with my heart, I can’t wait in this heat so much,” said Maria Demetriades. She said the metal benches, which attract the heat should be replaced, and more shade should be provided for those waiting.
THE POLICE Complaints Commission has absolved the police of any responsibility involving the death of a 16-year-old motorcyclist, who was killed in an accident last December in Larnaca.
The Commission had been investigating the case after the victim’s fellow students claimed 16-year-old Vasilis Theakou – who wasn’t wearing a helmet and had no licence – was being chased by a policeman before the accident occurred. The Attorney-general ordered a probe into the matter.
But the Commission yesterday announced its ruling: “No responsibility lies with the police.”
In an announcement, the police said the Commission had concluded “no youths had been chased by the police and no responsibility could be placed with its member or members, which is a conclusion the Attorney-general agrees with”.
Vasilis Theakou was killed on December 4 when he apparently lost control of his moped on Alexander Panagouli Avenue in the coastal town. The pupil from the local Technical School was catapulted into an electricity pole. His schoolmates claimed that Vasilis was being chased by police just before the crash.
The police – who announced the results of the Commission’s probe – added yesterday that the tragic incident had provoked strong public reactions, among students and the media. “The result was to ignite an explosive atmosphere, peaking with demonstrations of protest by youths outside Larnaca Police Headquarters during which a member of the police force was injured and damage was caused to the building and vehicles.”
The police went on to “express sadness” over the way the issue was handled by the media.
In January, around 100 students bombarded Larnaca Traffic Police department with stones, firecrackers and eggs. It was the second protest over the teen’s death.
The first took place five days after he was killed when 300 students tried to storm Larnaca police traffic department. The protest ended when the boy’s father Demetris Theakou backed the police version of events, saying his son should not have been driving without a helmet or licence.
The second protest took place in January after the father appeared on Sigma television retracting that statement he had initially made after the accident where he had supported the police version.
A GOVERNMENT plan to introduce UK style speeding cameras throughout Cyprus’ road network could mean the end of the road for speed demons and drivers who dial, it emerged yesterday.
However, they need not rush to protest yet, since the €20 million project to install 304 cameras is not expected to be completed before 2015, and that is only if approved by the finance ministry and council of ministers.
The justice ministry said yesterday it would take five years to install the cameras, of which 277 will be fixed at traffic lights and on highways, and 27 mobile.
Of the mobile cameras, 16 would be car mounted, and 11 free standing. These would be able to identify drivers who are on their phones, not wearing seatbelts, jumping red lights and speeding.
According to these figures, each camera will cost an eye-watering €65,000 and take six days each to install.
However, with the revenue from penalties – which will not change – plus the economic benefits of reduced accidents and lost earnings from road deaths, the camera scheme could even turn a profit within a few years.
Stavros Michael, director of budgets and financial control at the finance ministry said yesterday that it had received the proposal from the justice ministry, which will be submitted to the council of ministers for approval following a cost-benefit analysis.
Michael said “We have received the proposal from the ministry of justice and will prepare our report over the next three weeks. We expect to complete the work in the first or second week in September.”
According to EMS costings, the introduction of the cameras – or in many cases re-activation of existing cameras – would cost around €20 million, but could potentially save much more.
However, it is not just about the savings. “The council of ministers will evaluate the proposal on two criteria; firstly the costs and benefits, and secondly other priorities. At the moment there are a number of other proposals under consideration.”
Michael added that while €20 million was not a large amount for a project, it is big according to the government’s available budget, and could be trumped by an equivalent investment in, for example, hospitals or healthcare that would reap greater rewards.
In 2009, there were 71 fatal road accidents in Cyprus – according to TISPOL – while the statistical service recorded 64 deaths, of which 24 were motorcyclists or pillion passengers.
