TECHNICAL problems have caused a delay in the introduction of traffic cameras across the island.
Stavros Othonos, director of the Ministry of Commerce’s Electromechanical Services, who are in charge of the project, yesterday admitted to the Cyprus Mail that the problem “lies with equipment installed by the contractor. The equipment delivered is different from that set out in the contract, causing it to be rejected by the system. We are urgently looking into the matter but I cannot give you a timeframe as to when the cameras will become operational.”
Politis newspaper reported that the cameras may not be up and running until February, and added that the German manufacturer brought more up to date equipment to the island than was previously arranged.
On Monday, Director of Traffic Police Theodoros Achilleos said the cameras would go live in two weeks.
“We hope to solve this problem as soon as possible,” a police spokesman said yesterday.
Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides issued a statement, which said that “experts may have to be called in to determine the quality of the cameras and whether they’re capable of functioning with the results anticipated in the beginning.”
He added that there were currently certain technical and legal problems.
Responding to claims that human rights would be violated by the cameras, he said that, “the purpose of these devices is to determine traffic violations and not to monitor the lives of people.”
He added that he didn’t believe it would be possible to photograph the inside of a vehicle.
Once the cameras finally become active “the fine will be one pound for every kilometre per hour over the speed limit, as it is currently. If a driver is caught jumping a red light, the fine will be £50 plus two penalty points on their driving licence,” Achilleos said. Speeding drivers will also receive penalty points under the existing system.
The traffic chief also noted that, “if three-quarters of a vehicle crosses the white line while waiting at a red light, the driver will be fined. We hope this will put an end to the ridiculous practice of drivers creeping relentlessly forwards at the lights.”
Initially, there will be 40 cameras around the island, 32 of those being fixed and eight being mobile. Of the fixed cameras, 17 are real and 15 are dummies, according to Politis.
“We hope to have 450 cameras island-wide over the next four years, at a cost of 6.5 million euros,” Achilleos said.
