Addressing the traffic problem and enhancing road safety are top priorities for the Ministry of Transport in 2024, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Alexis Vafeades, said on Monday, presenting the Ministry’s work during 2023 and its planning for 2024.

In his presentation, the Minister said that the Ministry's budget for 2023 amounted to €421 million, while for 2024 it amounts to €451 million, stressing the importance of the Ministry's role for the implementation of state development projects.

He said that the priorities for the year include addressing traffic issues, connectivity of mountainous areas, upgrading government buildings, enhancing electromobility, monitoring the implementation of public-private sector contracts and road safety.

As regards 2023, he said that public buses travelled a total of 39.6 million kilometres, an increase of 9% compared to 2022, while passenger journeys increased by 18%, reaching 28 million. Student journeys increased by 4% in kilometres and by 9% in persons served, reaching 23,181 students in 2023. As the Minister said, priority is given to increasing the number of students travelling by public transport, as the road network is most congested when students need to move.

Regarding road safety, the Minister said that in 2023, more than 800 visits to schools took place educating almost 52,000 students on the subject, along with 183 lectures given to more than 7,800 school students at the traffic education park in Nicosia. The goal for 2024, according to Vafeades, is to create such parks in all districts, along with dropping the speed limit in certain neighbourhoods at 30km/h.