Mayor demands impact study on flyovers

By a Staff Reporter

THE MUNICIPALITY of Kato Polemedia in Limassol yesterday demanded an environmental study be carried out before roadworks begin to replace the municipality’s five roundabouts with flyovers.

The flyover concerning the municipality will lie between the Polemedia and Orphanides roundabouts

Municipality mayor George Georgiou called for a six-month postponement of the scheduled road works due to begin at the end of this month; a period he deemed adequate to carry out an environmental studies that would assess what impact a flyover would have on the natural and structural environment. Georgiou said it had come to his attention that foreign experts had made changes to the initial flyover plans, which called for a closer look at the construction study.

“Projects that are of the utmost importance and on such a grand scale (the flyover will be 1.5 kilometres long and is expected to cost £16 million) need to be preceded by studies that evaluate what consequences they could have on the environment and man,” he said.

“A well-rounded study must go beyond looking at an unfavourable situation and counterbalancing it against affected areas and residents.”

House Environment Committee Chairman George Lillikas also reportedly agreed with the proposal to carry out an environmental study before the construction works.

But, Limassol mayor Demetris Kontides said: “The project is something we favour and must go ahead within the allocated timeframe so that the torturous traffic congestion problem at the suburban roundabouts is solved as soon as possible. We believe that all consequences that have come to light or will come to light during the course of the road works will be dealt with at the time.”

He added in a meeting held last month between local authorities and Communication and Works Minister Averoff Neophytou, Neophytou warned the mayors that tenders had to awarded to carry out the roadworks, otherwise the government was ready to abandon the project saving the state a cost of £60 million.

Yesterday’s meeting was requested by the five mayors affected by the proposed flyover and took place at the Communication Ministry, following demonstrations by Kato Polemedia residents.

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