Traffic cameras record 180,000 violations

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Cyprus’ traffic camera network has registered over 180,000 fines for road violations since the system came online last year, police said.

In comments to Phileleftheros daily, the deputy head of the Traffic Police, Charis Evripides, said 160,000 violations were reported in 2022, with authorities estimating that traffic cams have spotted a minimum of 20,000 in the first four months of the year.

According to the traffic police, the system’s operators have issued 138,000 notifications to offending motorists, while another 19,000 have been sent to companies owning vehicles which were involved in a traffic violation. In addition, company owners have been asked to identify the driver.

The official noted that 10,000 fines are likely to be scrapped as they were either issued by mistake or the system could read the number plates of the vehicle involved in the offence.

Police are to prosecute the first cases of offenders who have not paid their fines after being captured on camera.

Out of the 109,000 fines reaching offenders, 50,000 have expired, with authorities prepping to take these cases to court.

So far, no case has been registered with the courts.

Meanwhile, another three sets of traffic cameras will go live in May, following a month’s delay due to technical issues, as the network expands outside the capital for the first time.

A fourth busy Nicosia junction will be added to the system, while Limassol gets its first two sets of cameras in the coming weeks.

Junctions controlled by traffic cameras in the capital will increase to four, as the installation at the busy crossing of Makarios and Spyros Kyprianou Avenues has already been tested.

A second set of traffic cameras on Strovolos Avenue and Macheras Street junction is expected to go live.

In Limassol, cameras coming online are at the junction of Archbishop Makarios with Nikos Pattichis Avenues and Agia Fylaxeos-Gladstonos Avenues.

Based on the contract given to US operators Conduent State & Local Solutions, the first phase of the traffic camera network should be completed by the end of the month.

Once authorities tick off phase A’, they will move to the second stage, which includes the installation of another 24 fixed cameras in seven locations, while another 16 mobile cameras will be received by the end of 2023.

With the completion of the second phase, the number of fixed and mobile cameras will total 20 mobile and 90 fixed cameras in 30 locations.

Traffic cameras were first introduced 14 years ago, but technical and legal issues over the ownership of the platform and collection of fines forced the government to switch them off.

Cyprus has adopted the European target of a 50% reduction in road fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.

Cameras record traffic light and speed limit violations, plus secondary offences such as not wearing a seatbelt or crash helmet and talking on the phone while driving.