Speed limit reduction on the way on urban roads in Cyprus
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Authorities in Cyprus have provided a study to reduce speed limits from 50km/h to 30km/h in certain urban areas.
The measure aims to reduce fatal collisions and emissions, as well as promote sustainable mobility.
The speed limit reduction will affect mainly highly trafficked roads also used by pedestrians, where risks are deemed as increased at speeds exceeding 50km/h.
An additional criterion will be whether a road or an intersection is a high accident spot.
Reducing the speed limit within cities and city centres is supported by the police traffic department, as it has been proven that every 10 per cent reduction in the speed limit achieves a 20 per cent reduction in road accidents.
According to the studies, reducing the 50km/h speed limit down to 30km/h would not significantly affect traffic and may even encourage the use of alternative means of transport, such as bicycles and scooters.
In some central city areas, the speed limit has already been dropped down to 30km/h, while in Agioi Omologites in Nicosia, the limit on some roads, adjacent to a school, has been lowered to 20km/h.
A decision taken by the EU parliament in 2011 sought to encourage speed reductions and the trend in Europe has been to lower the speed limit to 30km/h throughout urban centres.
