Credit: Friends of the Earth, cars and pollution
Readers Mail….
From A A Wisley….
The recent announcement by the Mayor of Girne, about the proposed construction of several multi-story car parks in the town, sounds like good news. The town centre is totally congested with traffic and there is a free-for-all all-parking mentality where SUVs, pickups, and cars occupy the pavements and ignore the single and double yellow line markings. The roads, which are the arteries of the town, are totally clogged resulting in the traffic equivalent of a heart attack. Extra parking, therefore, sounds like a good idea.
I don’t think so. The cars which swap free pavement parking conveniently situated just outside their office or shop, for a place in a more distant multi-storey paying park, will immediately be replaced by others. The availability of more central area parking will suck in more out-of-town shoppers or visitors who will simply add to the existing congestion.
A much more radical plan is required and one which is part of a greater plan for the adaption of Girne to the problems of climate change. As well as congestion, motor vehicles also create massive unhealthy pollution, and both electric and oil-fuelled vehicles generate a great deal of heat which when added to nature’s excessively abundant contribution makes living within cities increasingly uncomfortable. A long-term plan, because dealing with climate change is a long-term affair, is urgently required to deal with traffic-generated problems.
The ultimate objective should be to eliminate individual transportation, except for non-polluting vehicles, such as small electrically powered bicycles, trikes, scooters, and shoes. Shoes? Walking, which is the most agreeable form of transport, should be encouraged by planting trees everywhere to shade, beautify and cool pavements. Buses and other shareable vehicles, of all different sizes will be required to flesh out a comprehensive transportation system within the city. With no cars blocking the roads public transport will be swift and enjoyable.
Within this scenario, there is a place for more car parks but they should be placed on the edge of the town where outsiders can leave their cars before hopping onto the public transport. Climate change is already a very serious problem for Cyprus. Adapting to the climatic changes requires, inter alia, a strict control of all forms of motor vehicle. Building more car parks in the wrong place solves nothing instead it risks making the problem greater.
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Totally agree! For the cost of multi story car parks, improve public transport AND enforce penalties for illegal parking. That should stop bad behaviour. I’ve never seen anywhere where drivers park their cars with impunity at odd angles to occupy 2 spaces! Not good citizens!
Surely a park & ride system would be more appropriate with out of town hubs serviced by shuttle buses transporting car owners to the City centre.
Very successful in many UK City Centres
Totally agree as well as multiple stories car parks will not solve this problem.
The mentality of drivers in Cyprus will need to be changed or even forced to change by banning all cars from the city centre and with the addition of a proper public transportation system will reduce the need to use private vehicles.
Also I’d like to see an implementation of banning parents dropping of children to school by car which in most case’s children could be encouraged to walk to school.