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The exclusive club of the 24 mayors of the free municipalities in Cyprus are giving the Sherriff of Nottingham a bad name by taking off with their citizens’ tax moneys and giving nothing in return.
How else can one describe the ludicrous plans to paint neat single and double yellow lines on neighbourhood streets, simply to give the blood-thirsty traffic wardens an excuse to issue fines left, right and centre?
Municipalities are begging to increase their revenues, particularly from companies, and yet they are doing nothing to alleviate the parking problem faced by these same companies, some of which feel the need to move out of town and relocate to areas with ample parking spaces.
It is no use saying that one or another town has created an ‘x’ number of pay-as-you-park lots, when they have not even considered the ‘y’ number of cars that enter their boundaries each day. All mayors care about is collecting the coins from the meter maids and allowing private parking lot operators to get away with daylight robbery.
In case you think we’re crazy, let’s give it a try.
Divide the number of employees at your workplace by the area of the office. If it is a new building, you may be lucky to have a parking space for every 60 sq.m. If it’s an old block, then thank the Lord for a space for every 100 sq.m.
So, considering that new offices accommodate one workstation for every 5-6 sq.m., then most of a company’s employees have a serious problem every day of every week of every month. Some are lucky to work for banks, insurance companies and the government, whose trade unions or managers provide for parking as one of the perks. (Then again, have you ever seen a traffic warden near government buildings?)
But if you’re one of the unlucky ones, whose employer has no obligation to provide for suitable parking spaces, then you’re stuffed! Strike a deal with the old lady around the corner and pay her for the use of her carport. You will probably be doing her a favour as her pension is not enough anyway.
Back in the office, look out the window and try to locate the nearest public parking space. If the closest you can get is within 500 metres, then you probably have God on your side. For the rest of us mortals, might as well ride a bicycle to work.
Oh, forgot. We don’t have decent cycle paths in Cyprus and the few we have are there to win enough votes at the next elections.
The bus perhaps? That’s another disgrace, and the Minister of Transport wants to reward these incompetent bus companies with more subsidies, while their fleets are still useless, their routes date back to the age of the ox-and-cart and their timing… well, don’t bother.
Maybe it’s time we all stayed home and cut down on car emmissions. Can’t be bothered with the economy anyway. Let the welfare state take care of us…
