any one notice change of speed limit?

[tonee]

On the dual carriageway down to the triangle from Debenhams?Was 50k after the lights,police used to have a field day in speeding fines,now its back to 65k,which is about right for that road.The 50k limit on the new airport road is a joke however,another cash cow!

[galexinda]

The speed limit used to be 65 on that stretch of road - until the petrol station was operational and then it was reduced to 50. Not an easy entrance/exit due to the curvature of the road meaning there isn't good visibility.

[Fisherman Phil]

It's back to 65kph as tonee says, and it has been for a couple of weeks, maybe more.

[Anarita John]

Busies have been out in force on the new airport road both last week and this morning. Police car and motorcycle plus radar gun stopping people in the large bus stop layby. 50kph is a joke. Regularly taxis come past at 80kph and over, but I have yet to see one pulled up.

[JimX]

Speeding ticket. Yesterday. Hello John.

Also if turning left down that new motorway to nowhere it is still 50k and hour why? no houses or any other built up areas, they should come into villages like ours where there is unrestricted speed limits, it is an accident waiting to happen, children actually play on the roads, this is not about road safety though, this is about collecting speeding fines..

On my daily trip to the beach I overtook a small red plate car and hidden up front was a very nice policeman with his new toy a speeding gun, he was hiding behind a private 4x4 with nothing better to do than collect revenue for the Cypriot Authorities, bless them all, my first speeding ticket ever! in 50 plus years of driving. Oh well. fine paid €84.

[Anarita John]

Jim. Sorry to hear about your speeding ticket. Rosemary nearly got caught yesterday on the new airport road but luckily she saw the police car and motorbikes in the layby and was able to slow down to 50kph before she was in range. Also, why do you never see speed traps on Wednesday or Sunday evenings on that road; the busiest airport day with taxis and hire cars doing over the speed limit.
Last night we had a car overtake us on the industrial estate road at Timi and it must have been doing well over a ton. It should be those drivers, the real speed merchants who are a danger to themselves and others who the police should be targetting. He had huge, straight through exhaust pipes and was making a racket. We could still hear the car when he was a couple of miles away, in Timi village.

[boycott]

I do not understand this, for years and years people on Cypriot forums have been complaining that the Police are doing nothing at all. Now that they appear to be working people are complaining that they are collecting speeding tickets!

This is NOT the fault of the Police or the officers enforcing the law but the fault of the driver who has control of the speed of the vehicle.

As a matter of interest Jim, what speed were you clocked doing?

[Dominic]

I do not understand this, for years and years people on Cypriot forums have been complaining that the Police are doing nothing at all. Now that they appear to be working people are complaining that they are collecting speeding tickets!

This is NOT the fault of the Police or the officers enforcing the law but the fault of the driver who has control of the speed of the vehicle.

I too have been somewhat perplexed by the protests. It's quite funny though.

[daveg]

The point being , surely, is that a 50km speed limit on the new airport road is ridiculous....
Leaving the Police looking as purely tax collectors...

[Anarita John]

No objection whatsoever to speed guns on motorways and built up areas where I never speed. However, these speed traps are on roads that are designated 50kph and should really be 65kph. The single carriageway road up to the old airport road is another favourite place now for the police. You get intimidated by taxi drivers if you do 50kph, with them driving on your tail. Then, when you get to the roundabout on the old airport road, they perform the dangerous manoeuvre of overtaking on the inside, on the roundabout. I had two taxis do this, and ended up going round the roundabout twice.
Also, it is rare to see a speed trap on the old airport road and we have never seen one on a Sunday or Wednesday evening.

And for us who use the airport road as part of our daily lives, the hire car delivery drivers are worse than the taxis. Also some of the biblio globus coach drivers are a law unto themselves and we had one pull out of their depot, on the Industrial Estate without stopping.

I have never had a speeding ticket, both in the UK and in Cyprus. Neither had Jim up to yesterday.

BTW we live in North Wales where the police have a very strict programme of speed restriction which has had a huge impact on accident rates. Usually they place their mobile speed traps at places where there have been accidents in the past. Here it is regarded as a cash cow,judging by some of the places where the speed traps are.

[smudger]

"Perhaps in all fairness boycott you should point out that you are a former Police Officer.

If people are being nailed in built-up areas or on the highway, fair-doos, but on a deserted road with no habitation nearby? That's simply generating revenue for the State."

Good post HIC.

[trevnhil]

Agreed..Good post

[Jimgym]

Not sure I’d say cash cow as if the state really were interested in raising money from motorists then lets face it they have plenty of options here! Unfortunately we can’t decide which laws the police implement otherwise there would be chaos. Where does the line get drawn and by whom? Frustrating being on certain roads here with such ridiculously low limits though.

[Dominic]

I don't see why he should point out that he is a former police officer. What has that got to do with his opinion?

[Jimgym]

I don't see why he should point out that he is a former police officer. What has that got to do with his opinion?

I was wondering the same thing myself.

[boycott]

This is an article in News In Cyprus this week. http://www.use-the-final-link/news/128151 ... n-underway

Cyprus police began a nationwide campaign to reduce speeding yesterday, Monday 11th June, as part of its efforts to prevent and reduce serious and fatal road traffic accidents.

This campaign will run until Sunday June 17th during which time drivers will also have their documents checked to ensure that no other road traffic offences are being committed.

Over recent weeks there have been several serious collisions where it is believed that speeding has played a significant role.

Members from the Traffic Police headquarters as well as those from the District Traffic Units will take part in the campaign.

[Anarita John]

Thanks for that information Boycott. I just wish the police here would use a bit of common sense and set up their speed traps where people speed dangerously, such as the old airport road here in Paphos on a Sunday and Wednesday.

It is so bad, that even though the old airport road is our most direct route to the harbour area and the Mall, we use the motorway on busy airport days just to avoid it. Plus, I have never seen a taxi pulled up for speeding. Maybe soon I will.

[boycott]

Back in the day whilst on Traffic Division we used to set up speed traps wherever we felt like it, good idea but of course were always accused of revenue raising or promotion chasing (Believe me, dishing out tickets does not get you paid anymore than not dishing them out and does not get you promoted either!)

In the 90's there was a change of policy and speed traps/radar enforcement could only be done in partnership with the local council AND at proven fatal/serious injury accident blackspots. This was in conjunction with static speed cameras (By the way they do work, large percentage drop of accidents in that location and no raise of accidents locally).

However every journey starts with a first step and that is what Cyprus Traffic Police have taken so they should have credit for that. Of course they should get into the villages and stop many of the illegal vehicles that are used locally but I am sure they will say lack of personal and council/government support etc.

[trevnhil]

Re.... " I have never seen a taxi pulled up for speeding. Maybe soon I will. "

A few years ago I was pulled up for speeding about 11pm going UP Polis Road... Obviously it was dark, and the traffic officers had a red illuminated 'wand' to wave speeders into the side of the road...

Whilst I was waiting to be dealt with the next car coming up the hill was also waved in for speeding... It was going so fast, it could not pull in behind me but has to pull in a few yards in front of me... It was a taxi.... I don't know what was said, but about 20 seconds after talking to a police officer he was on his way again....

[Dominic]

Plus, anybody who gets a speeding ticket in a soft target area should ask them the following question:

Will that ticket make me more or less likely to speed in future?

If the answer is less likely, then that ticket will have done some good.