Frantz Cornelia, Amsterdam’s Director of Traffic Division ,has just completed a fact finding visit of Limassol town, following a personal invitation by the Municipality.
His expert opinion was specifically requested by the Mayor’s office to review and suggest ways of improving the traffic infrastructure systems already in place in Limassol, with particular focus on enhancing the provision in town for cyclists.
His stay included a comprehensive driving trip through the length and breadth of Limassol town, from Amathounta through to the New Port on the seafront road.
He then drove through town from north to south and back again, then repeated the same route as a cyclist, to give him a thorough understanding of our traffic systems, roads and cycle lanes.
This also gave him an opportunity to assess personally the behaviour and driving style of Limassol motorists both as a car driver and as a cyclist.
His first impressions were:”well, you face a long challenge…”.
Cornelis went on to explain that on his bike ride through Limassol he counted no less than 380 parked cars in the cycle lanes.
His initial comment was that in order to promote a transport system that actively encourages bicycles as a mean of transport, riders need to feel safe.
With cars driving into and out of the cycle lanes, and disrupting the cycle path with parked cars, this is not the case. Secondly , there is an obvious shortage of adequate parking in the town, which manifests in cars being left wherever a motorist sees fit to park.
Not ideal. Thirdly, the lack of adequate public transport to enable local residents and tourists to travel easily and efficiently through town means an obvious dependence on cars and motorbikes, exacerbating the levels of traffic and reducing the likelihood of a society actively using any other means of getting around.
So, were would he begin?”You have to start with a safer situation for those who want to cycle… cycle lanes must be empty of cars and motorcyclists.”
However, alongside the need for more parking spaces, Cornelis believes the biggest challenge in Limassol is the behaviours of the drivers. “This is going to be very difficult. Attitude, and by that I mean culture and communication, is going to be a problem”.
In Amsterdam, cycling is the most popular means of transportation by far, with 60% of the city traffic using bikes; 20% use public transport to get around, including a Park & Ride scheme ; motorists bring their cars to the outskirts of town, park their cars safely and cheaply, then take a bus from the parking areas to bring them directly into the town centre efficiently and quickly.
At the end of their day, buses transport them back to their cars again, keeping the centres free from congestion and facilitating a mostly car free zone, safe for bicycles and pedestrians, and eliminating a considerable amount of traffic and emissions in the process.
Cornelis said the locals need to feel they are part of a community with one purpose. Unless this sense of having a single purpose is accepted by everyone, change will be very difficult. He believes Limassol will need to take a long term view, possibly a five-year plan, and any new system will inevitably be expensive.
He added that enforcing traffic rules and regulations is essential to any new transport system.
However, without adequate parking places provided for motorists, it is hard to see how rules could be enforced. As well as his meeting with the Mayor and the Municipality’s Public Works Department, Cornelis also met with cycling club organisations during his recent trip.
He believes “there is certainly a will” to improving the local traffic and transport infrastructure, the question is finding the way to do so. As soon as he concludes his report the findings will be sent to the Municipality for consideration.
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