"The Parliament’s political will to install countdown timers at traffic lights equipped with photo enforcement devices is clear," said Sotiris Ioannou, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications, and Public Works and an ELAM MP, on Thursday following the Committee’s discussion of the issue.

In his remarks, Mr. Ioannou noted that the Public Works Department explained to the Committee why they believe this specific system cannot be installed, noting, however, that the approach taken by the relevant authorities is “completely wrong.”

As he said, various excuses have been given, but in an era of technological advancement, it is “unacceptable and defies common sense” to raise the issue of compatibility with smart lights or other systems.

Mr. Ioannou noted that the Committee requested written briefings on the communications that took place with the companies and added that the Members of Parliament will insist “until the very end” to ensure that timers are installed at traffic lights where photo enforcement devices are in place.

He also noted that drivers become anxious and do not know how to react when approaching traffic lights with speed cameras, adding that the issue will be addressed again next September.

For his part, AKEL MP Valentinos Fakontis stated that the photo enforcement system was introduced as a preventive measure, but “it has ended up being a tax-collection tool in the hands of the state.”

Mr. Fakontis said that many drivers have been hit with penalty points and out-of-court settlements, while, as he noted, fatal traffic accidents have increased in recent years. He added that the speed camera system must be effective, installed at black spots on the road network, and operate as a preventive measure.

He also recalled that, during the previous parliamentary session, a bill proposed by AKEL to install countdown timers at traffic lights where cameras are present was passed; however, as he noted, it was vetoed by the President of the Republic. “It is a fair request, one that is implemented in many countries in Asia and the Americas, and today, with the widespread use of technology, it can also be implemented in the Republic of Cyprus,” he noted.

Within the Committee, its Chairman, Sotiris Ioannou, said that the Committee will insist on the installation of speed cameras, noting that technical difficulties cannot be invoked, when advanced systems, such as artificial intelligence, are used to detect drivers using cell phones.

AKEL MP Yiannakis Gabriel questioned how it is possible that such systems are used in other countries while the government takes a different stance. For his part, Mr. Fakontis insisted that the installation of timers can help drivers know when the light is about to change and act proactively.

DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides stated that the traffic light signaling system was purchased without the appropriate legislative framework, noting that “that is where the problem begins.” He also said that it is unacceptable that timers cannot be installed, adding that if the appropriate systems and software had been selected from the outset, they would be able to function.

ALMA MP Irini Charalambidou characterized the issue of traffic timers as a safety matter and noted that the House of Representatives had acted correctly when it approved the relevant bill. She also referred to the installation of smart traffic lights in Nicosia, saying that rather than easing traffic flow, they create hazards and traffic congestion.

Dimitris Souglis, a member of parliament for Direct Democracy, said he would insist on the installation of countdown timers at traffic lights. He noted that so-called “smart traffic lights” create problems, citing Agia Fyla in Limassol as an example, and called it unacceptable to claim that installing countdown timers is impossible.

Before the Committee, the Executive Transportation Engineer of the Department of Public Works, Alexis Avgoustis, stated that the issue relates to the real-time operation of traffic lights and not to the traffic light signaling system, which, he said, merely records the color of the traffic light.

He explained that the traffic light system has an internal operation, and that phase and timing adjustments are made to prioritize, among other things, pedestrians, buses, and other needs. He also noted that the companies that were evaluated could not guarantee the accurate display of a countdown system in every situation.

Mr. Avgoustis further stated that a €7 million project is underway to install a new regional remote management and traffic control system, covering 125 intersections in Nicosia and Limassol. As he noted, the Department is awaiting a decision from the Administrative Court and estimates that the contract will be signed by September.

The matter is expected to be brought before the Transport Committee again in September.