Limassol will be transformed: the new transport infrastructure that will cover all aspects of the city’s transport sector will be finished by 2030.
The transport system of the city of Limassol is characterized by the dominant of transport, the car and therefore, the residents of Limassol depend on the car. The situation in Limassol is no different from other metropolitan areas or cities in Cyprus or the country as a whole. The share of car travel is 91.8%, with the bus only 1.8%, leaving 5.7% for walking and 0.7% for cycling.
The modernization program is examining and proposing management measures, including detailed traffic management in the city center, public transport, pedestrian networks, bike lanes, parking and intelligent transport systems.
The study area includes six municipalities (Limassol, Middle Neighborhood, Kato Polimedia, Agios Athanasios, Germasogeia, Ypsonas) and 11 communities (PanoPolimedia, Palodeia, Mouttagiaka, AgiosTychonas, Pareklisia, Moni, Prasirimis, Kogei, Tserkezo). The total area of 225.5 km2 and has population of about 205 000.
The main task to propose measures to prevent, reduce and as fully compensate for any significant adverse effects on the environment.
The main environmental impacts covered are: air quality, climatic factors, soil / geology, water resources, fauna / flora and biodiversity, materials and assets, structured, environment and spatial planning, cultural, sociological, archeological, natural and architectural environment, population, human health and quality of life.
Parking space for each household
- Parking spaces for residents, for those who already live in the central areas of Limassol, providing at least one parking space per household
- Secured parking spaces for people with special needs and other special categories of users (banks, public authorities, etc.)
- Sufficient parking spaces for loading / unloading for retail stores, restaurants, etc.
- Paying parking spaces on the street for the public, which should be adequately priced for the coming years to allow the gradual abandonment of the private car
- Paying for off-road parking spaces, which must be rational and fully controlled, considering that the impact of off-road parking s permanent and particularly costly.
Intelligent transport systems (ITS)
- Introduction of ITS applications to improve traffic and traffic congestion conditions.
- Introduce ITS multimodal applications to enhance traveler’s information both before and during the trip, in order to save travel time and improve the balance between demand and supply in parking.
- Introduce ITS applications to enhance the safety of passengers and drivers either for precautionary purposes or for improved incident management feedback and the corresponding response time.
Conversion of double traffic roads into one-way streets
- Conversion of specific double-lane roads into one-way streets
- Design of transport networks for all models of transport
- Speed limits and controls
- Crossover control and management
- Training and enforcement of measures
- Implementation of an educational campaign.
Central bus station on the Themistokleous Street
- Transportation system, which meets the increased demand for travel
- Implementation of a network hierarchical system with main and secondary lines
- Optimizing line routes and simplifying them
- Overall upgrade of the quality of the offered services (operating hours and transit frequencies)
- Incorporate schools bus lines into regular lines where possible
- Creation of a central bus station on Themistokleous Street
- Hierarchical bus stop system
- Bus priority measures (exclusive bus lanes)
- Modern vehicles of high standards
- Passenger information before and during the routes
- Fleet monitoring technology and ticket issuance.
Only buses on independence street
- Sufficiently sized and safe pedestrian infrastructure
- Expansion of the areas in Limassol and the municipalities that are accessible only by pedestrians
- Pedestrian walkway with high pedestrian traffic flows
- Independence street will be transformed from a two-way street into a pedestrian zone of exclusive one-way traffic.
Bike measurements
- Development of a coherent, integrated and secure bicycle network
- Relevant cycling infrastructure
- Bicycle rental systems
- Related admirative and political measures.
Source: Philenews
