BUSINESSES on the busy tourist hub of the Tomb of the Kings road in Paphos are threatening to shut up shop if a plan to turn it into a dual carriageway goes ahead.
According to local business people, Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas has said construction of the road – to form part of the ring road being built around the town – would commence this June or July, taking 18 months to complete.
The response of one bar owner was that this would kill off all business in the ailing street.
Ben Hinton of Ben’s bar said: “A lot of businesses on the strip have already closed down due to the recession and a lack of tourism; this road could be a final blow”.
He said worried business owners had asked Vergas what sort of compensation would be offered to those adversely affected by the disruption caused by construction.
“We were told there would be none at all,” he said, adding business people were given no idea as to the construction’s schedule or how long any disruption to each area would last.
“We all agree the Tomb of the Kings road needs tidying up, but we are against the construction of a dual carriageway. The road will be widened to two lanes each way, a bicycle lane and the continuation of the central reservation, which at present is only in place at the entrance to the strip.”
Locals say the planned works would be an unnecessary expense.
“When this sort of project is undertaken,” Hinton, an ex-engineer, said “a traffic flow count is taken to justify its necessity, but to the best of my knowledge that hasn’t happened in this case”.
He also questioned the sense behind placing a dual carriageway through the middle of a busy tourist area.
“It will be difficult for traffic to stop, even though the plans show that a number of car parks would be built… Here we have masses of accommodation and I wonder how tourists will be expected to cross a dual carriageway.”
Business owners are appealing to the mayor to reconsider the plans.
“The design could be changed so that the road remained as one lane each way, complete with a bicycle lane,” he explained, adding. “We also have no problem with the central reservation being built and new lighting and plants would also be a good idea.”
The bar owner said he and eight other business people opposing the construction had formed a union last week – the Union of Tourist Business of the Tomb of the Kings road, which is to have its first meeting today to discuss what further action will be taken to attempt to prevent the planned construction.