Paphos-Polis motorway divides opinion as tensions rise

[Paphos Life]

BirdLife Cyprus hit back on Thursday at criticism over its petition to stop the Paphos to Polis highway, saying it was important to have a serious discussion over the controversial project.It's sad that it's often impossible to have serious debate on serious issues, Martin Hellicar of BirdLife Cyprus told the Cyprus Mail....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[Dominic]

Personally I think Birdlife Cyprus have shot themselves in the foot. If you took their petition text at face value then the motorway was going to destroy chunks of Ezousa Valley, whereas in fact it doesn't go near it. As I pointed out on the blog I did, between the motorway and the valley there is another road, a municipal dump and a breakers yard.

And I see no mileage in the plan to widen the existing road. To do that you would have to close the B7, and if you do that traffic gets rerouted through the back streets of Polemi and Kallepeia. These roads cannot handle a big truck in one direction very well. When two meet it causes chaos. This is exactly what happened when that lorry overturned on the B7 recently.

[cyprusmax47]

That the new highway is nowhere near the Ezousa valley I already mentioned in my other post yesterday. One can expect that Birdlife knows that very well and publicizing it is in my eyes "fake news", a normal phenomena in today's politics (Trump....)
If this new road helps to reduce fatal accidents between Paphos and Polis would be great, as this is more worth than a few birds are affected. They will find a different environment very quick, for example at the Ezousa or Xeros valley.
As the politicians of the opposition DIKO are also in favour of the road, not only the governing party DISY, I believe there is hope that the roadwork will start as planned in spring next year...

Max

[Varky]

If these people are so concerned about saving wildlife why aren't they petitioning to stop hunting?

[Kili01]

Petitioning to try to stop hunting would be a non starter as everyone knows, since most politicians are likely to support it, or have done in the past! It seems to be an unfortunate part of the local psyche..

Dee

[Varky]

Petitioning to try to stop hunting would be a non starter as everyone knows, since most politicians are likely to support it, or have done in the past! It seems to be an unfortunate part of the local psyche..
Dee

I am well aware of that but don't you think that it's a touch hypocritical.