The Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeadis, submitted his proposals for amending the laws governing the photo-marking system and the fines to the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, which met at noon on Thursday. At the same time, he pointed out that there are benefits and problems from the operation of the photo-marking system.
Speaking during the session of the Transport Committee, the Minister of Transport noted that the purpose of the photo-marking system remains the upgrading of the road behavior of Cypriots and the reduction of violations. “There are pedestrian crossings that are not light-controlled, so in these cases the fine should remain as a deterrent,” he noted, adding that there are complaints about the amount of fines as well as problems in enforcing the fines. “There is a situation with benefits but also with problems”, he underlined.
Subsequently, Alexis Vafeadis expressed the intention of the Ministry of Transport to carry out a campaign to inform the public through the press and Social Media, as well as the intention to maintain and upgrade intersections, which is estimated to amount to €100,000. “We are waiting for today’s Parliament’s decisions to modify the informational material,” he added.
In addition, the Minister of Transport stated that the Ministry is preparing an amendment to the legislation, which will propose that the fine for violation of the stop line (alt) will remain at €25, and the fine for violation of the red light will not change. “What we want is to keep the €300 fine for a pedestrian crossing violation, but propose a 50% reduction if the fine is paid within 15 days,” he added.
Speaking after the end of the Committee session, the Minister said that several members of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport proposed to extend the payment period of this fine from 15 to 30 days, arguing that it would make it easier for the public to collect the amount. As he said, the MPs’ argument is reasonable, adding that he accepted their proposal.
Speaking during the session of the Transport Committee, Mr. Vafeadis also proposed to increase the limit for the payment of out-of-court fines from 45 to 60 days, in order not to create administrative costs. He noted that the Department of Public Works is considering changing the way the green right-turn arrow works so that instead of turning on first (before the red light), it turns off last.
Responding to MPs’ questions, Alexis Vafeadis stated that the fines were adopted as a technocratic decision, pointing out that these issues must be properly approached. “I understand the issue of the proportionality of the fines,” he stressed, indicating that any intervention in the photo-marking system must be done carefully.
Referring to the smart lights, the Minister of Transport expressed the belief that these will ease the congestion on the roads. “Nowhere in the world do you have smart lights and a countdown timer together,” he pointed out, noting that he chooses smart lights himself. Responding to a question from AKEL Member of Parliament, Valentinos Fakontis, Mr. Vafeadis said that the smart lights are in the bidding process.
Speaking after the end of the Transport Committee session, the Minister of Transport said that first and foremost is the effort to save human lives on the road network, expressing his appreciation that the proposals he submitted to the Committee are in the right direction and are intended to correct distortions that have been observed during the operation of the photo-marking system, with an ultimate purpose.
“We promise that we will continue to monitor the operation of the 2 pieces of legislation (S.S. on the photo-marking system and fines) so that, if necessary, we can take additional measures,” he concluded.
The positions of the MPs
Speaking during the Commission’s session, its President and MP of DIPA, Marinos Mousioutas, speaking about his own proposed law, noted that “it is terribly unfair to pay €25 when you press one line and €300 when you press a second line”.
The Deputy President of the Committee and Member of Parliament of AKEL, Kostas Kostas, said that the public information campaign should have been done a long time ago. “Anyone who crosses a red light illegally is committing a crime,” he added.
“It’s no excuse to order lights that don’t accept a countdown timer. Either a countdown timer is put in or the green light flashes,” he stressed.
DISY Member of Parliament, Fotini Tsiridou, said that “this system was implemented under our government, we want it to be saved, to be effective and timeless”. In the implementation of the system, he added, there are some results that do injustice to the world.
“There should be no issues that go against common sense. We want faster reflexes,” he noted.
DISY Member of Parliament, Prodromos Alabritis, said that cameras should be installed at all traffic lights, pointing out that the €300 fine for a pedestrian crossing violation is criminal. “We need to re-evaluate the speed limits on some roads,” he added.
The Member of Parliament of AKEL, Valentinos Fakontis, said that he sees the proposals as well-intentioned, but they cannot provide solutions. “The proposal for a discount on the payment of the fine favors only those who can afford it,” he noted.
Speaking after the Commission session, Mr. Fakontis said that the photo-marking system, instead of being aimed at prevention, has turned into a tax collection measure in the hands of the Government. It is necessary to streamline and optimize the traffic light system, update speed limits, create a developed road transport system and cultivate road awareness and culture, he concluded.
Speaking during the Committee’s session, DIKO Member of Parliament, Zacharias Koulias, said that “we have created a system to trap citizens”, emphasizing that there should be an adjustment period and the fines should be low.
The Member of Parliament of DIKO, Christos Orfanidis, said that 50% of the population either does not work or has low incomes, adding that the idea of ​​a discount on the payment of the fine is good, but it causes problems.
Speaking after the session of the Transport Committee, Mr. Orfanidis spoke of distortions of the photo-marking system without giving leeway to the citizens, who are currently experiencing difficulties. “The proportionality of sentences needs to work, something that the Legal Service, the state and the Department of Transport have not touched today,” he added.
Speaking during the Commission’s session, the President of EDEK, Marinos Sizopoulos, pointed out that first is prevention, then management and then suppression. “If a family receives two fines of €300, will it be able to cope?”, he asked.
He also mentioned that there should be a deterrent when someone goes straight ahead by violating the red light, while he suggested that there should not be a €300 fine for turning right. He raised an additional issue about the speed limit being reduced a few meters before traffic lights.
The MP of the Environmental Movement, Stavros Papadouris, referring to the statistics of the last four years, said that he expected a greater reduction in fatal accidents from the use of the photo-marking system.
Afterwards, he asked the Deputy Director of Traffic of the Police Headquarters, Haris Evripidou, why accidents increased in the Netherlands and Ireland, with Mr. Evripidou answering that the Netherlands is a different case, due to transit trade. Mr. Papadouris requested that the statistical data be sent to the Parliament, with Mr. Evripidou stating that they will be sent.
Speaking after the end of the Commission session, Mr. Papadouris said that he did not get the answers to the questions he raised. “We will submit our proposals and from then on, let each member of the Plenary and each party make their own decisions”, he emphasized.
The Member of Parliament of ELAM, Linos Papagiannis, stated that in October 2021, when the legislation for the photo-marking system was passed, ELAM was the only party that voted against this legislation.
“What we declared two and a half years ago, today proves to be completely true, he said, referring to the state’s “pure tax collection tactics”.
The placements of other guests
Haris Evripidou, Deputy Director of Traffic at the Police Headquarters, noted that warrants are not paid in installments. Referring to the vans with cameras, he did not rule out the possibility of wrong parking.
As he said, the criteria for the use of cameras are, among other things, black spots on the road network and complaints about fights or nuisance, adding that the Traffic Police trains the van operators and carries out checks on the correct placement of the camera sign. Cases of camera vans parked on sidewalks have been reported and recommendations made, he added.
“Increasing the speed limit must be considered sparingly”, emphasized Mr. Evripidou, who expressed his disagreement with all the law proposals of the MPs.
The representative of the Legal Service indicated that the submitted proposals must also be studied by the Legal Service. “We are at the disposal of the Parliament for cooperation”, he added.
Alexandros Cleridis, representative of the Pancypriot Bar Association, described the situation of service and payment of fines.
Vafeadis is positive to the proposal of Andreas Apostolos to increase the fine for parking in disabled areas
During the Committee session, EDEK Member of Parliament, Andreas Apostolou, presented to the Minister of Transport his proposal to increase the fine for illegal parking in a disabled parking lot from €300 to €500.
Alexis Vafeadis stated that the effectiveness of the fine must be recognized, pointing out that the proposal of Mr. Apostolos upgrades it.
Speaking after the Commission session, Mr. Apostolou said that the Ministry of Transport is also working on other stricter measures, which apply in most European countries, such as the towing of vehicles or the removal of license plates. “I will support this effort by the Department of Transportation when it comes to fruition,” he said.
“I should also say that respecting the suggestion of the Legal Service, such as the increase not from €300 to €500 for the first offense, but to €400 the first time and, if the offense is repeated, to €500 , I will consent to the amendment of the law proposal, so that it provides for the increase of the penalty gradually”, he concluded.
KYPE