Strong reactions, anger and frustration are being stirred by the works carried out by the Public Works Department in Limassol as part of the promotion of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. The project, which has been underway for the past months, has entered the phase of installing hundreds of plastic bollards to separate dedicated bicycle lanes, making cycle paths more visible but at the same time triggering strong reactions from citizens, as road space for vehicles is being reduced.
Reactions vary, with many converging on the view that this is a project implemented with poor planning, without sufficient public information and without the necessary funding that would have allowed for a better outcome.
The project began to be designed in 2022 and was presented for public consultation in February 2023. It was subsequently included in Recovery Fund projects, with Cyprus receiving funding from the European Union for the implementation of sustainable urban mobility policies. Although these are separate projects in terms of execution, they concern bus lanes, cycle lanes and park and ride areas.
However, from the Public Works Department, although there is no official statement yet, the project is considered a first step in the right direction, as the ultimate goal is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road network and strengthen micromobility and public transport. At the same time, the route that has been selected appears to have been the easiest option, since in the initial discussions with the Municipality in 2022, other proposals that required extensive one‑way systems and significant interventions on main road arteries were rejected.
Connection via cycle lanes
At present, the element generating the most discussion is the hundreds of bollards being installed along the cycling route. The design starts from Olympion Street on the seafront road and extends to the Polemidia roundabout, creating a unified network that will be completed gradually in the coming period. The interventions include one‑way street systems, the creation of separate cycle lanes and at the same time a reduction in the available space for private vehicles. Typical examples include Thekla Lysioti Street and Emmanouil Roidi Street. At the same time, there will be connections with the Garillis linear park and other existing cycle paths.
“I don’t like them either”
At the same time, Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis highlighted the need for improvements to the works being carried out on Thekla Lysioti, Emmanouil Roidi, Nikos Pattichi streets and in the Courts area. Speaking on the programme Morning Briefing on Politis radio, he acknowledged that there is justified dissatisfaction among citizens, noting that despite the positive objective of the project, the way it is being implemented is creating practical problems in daily life.
The mayor clarified that Limassol Municipality has no responsibility for the execution of the project, as it is being implemented by the Public Works Department within the framework of SUMP. As he stated, both the previous and the current Municipal Council had expressed concerns and submitted suggestions regarding the functionality of the city and the impact on traffic.
Referring to the bollards that have caused strong reactions, Mr Armeftis admitted that their appearance is problematic and that he understands citizens’ frustration. He said that areas needing improvement have already been identified and that after the completion of the first phase of works, interventions will be examined, such as short‑term parking spaces, pick‑up and drop‑off points for students, as well as additional traffic arrangements that will facilitate residents and professionals.
He also made special reference to bus lanes, stressing that they can function effectively only when accompanied by a reliable and frequent public transport network. At the same time, he noted that interventions must be part of an integrated plan connected with parking areas and other transport infrastructure.
