PROTESTERS against the building of a proposed dual carriageway in Paphos will close the road for a second time this Saturday.
Organisers of the protest are calling on the public to support the demo against the widening of the busy Tomb of the Kings Road in Paphos into a four lane dual carriageway, which local businesses say will adversely affect their trade.
The demonstration is scheduled to take place at 11am on Saturday June 25.
Opposition to the planned road is gaining momentum according to one bar owner in the area and the first protest last month came in the wake of a meeting between the Union of Tourist Businesses for the Tombs of the Kings road and the mayor of Paphos, Savvas Vergas. Following the meeting plans to start construction were delayed until November 1, but protesters say they want to put a stop to the dual carriageway being built altogether.
Union member Ben Hinton of Ben’s Bar said that authorities are “still not listening to us”.
“We visited the planning office which has confirmed that the contract for the road has yet to go ahead but they were adamant that it would be built.”
Protesters are canvassing support for the demonstration by handing out flyers in both Greek and English.
“We are going to close the road for about half an hour and the Cypriot members of our union have been in close contact with the police to ensure it all passes of smoothly,” he said. “Our intention is not to annoy the police or the local community but to draw attention to our cause.”
Local business owners say that the widening of the busy tourist hub will destroy most of the trade and some properties, hamper tourists trying to cross the road and make deliveries to shops almost impossible.
“I think that trucks will pull up outside pubs and bars to make their deliveries, and they will park in the nearside lane which effectlvely will render it useless anyway,” Hinton said.
The mayor of Paphos had decided to postpone construction on the road until the end of the summer season to give a chance to businesses to operate during the busiest tourist period. But although the move was welcomed by the activists, they say it doesn’t go far enough.
The union said that the planned dual carriageway – part of the ring road being built around the town – would be a disaster for businesses which are already suffering the fall out from the recession.
Work in the area will take at least 18 months to complete and Hinton says he fears this will mean many businesses will be forced to shut up shop.
Local shop owners also say they have been informed no compensation will be offered to them. The road is currently two lanes and will be extended to four, with a bicycle lane, a wide central reservation and a pavement. According to the union, many of the business will lose at least half of their frontage and one restaurant will go completely.
The union members were quick to point out that they agree the road needs “tidying up” but that a dual carriageway is also an unnecessary expense.
Around 150 protesters showed up for the last demonstration and organisers are hoping for an even larger turn out for Saturday’s event.
