Since 27/10 the once “main street” of Nicosia has closed for cars to encourage people to walk there more and use public transportation. Do you think it is a useful change? Many shop owners believe that this change will reduce their customer numbers.
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14 comments
We don’t need a car to go everywhere
I salute this decision.
It’s the first step to making Cyprus less car-dependent.
And it actually makes a positive impact on sales for neighboring businesses:
https://www.scientifique-en-chef.gouv.qc.ca/en/impacts-of-research-cat/closing-the-streets-to-cars-bad-for-business-false-french-version-only/
I 100% agree with this.
HOWEVER. And this is a huge however.
These kind of initiatives make me cringe. They seem like patches.
If we had infrastructure and connectivity I’d applaud it.
But there’s no way this will succeed. Most likely it will just be the end of Makariou.
It’s like the initiatives of the Ministry of Transportation. They talk and talk about bicycles. They even launched a bicycle grant. Small detail? We don’t funking have bicycle lanes.
They talk and talk about buses. Small detail? They don’t funking cover the whole Nicosia.
Related podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1pAduxdDaFTPjwfgXDw7lV?si=zrI4E7sNS4mkKW-FhMj5RQ&utm_source=copy-link
they did it because the rework of the road and area was EU funded. one of the criteria to get these funds was that this change to the road traffic happen.
not sure what to think of it really. other than we are given orders by the EU and we usually managed to fk it up
I find it’s really hard to walk in Cyprus.
1. Weather for about a half of a year is not friendly for that. You need at least some shade, and even with shade it’s hard. As far as I know, in Emirates that solved by, basically, creating pedestrian walks in enclosed conditioned spaces. Crazy expensive.
2. It’s not possible to walk comfortably. Cars are too close to the pedestrian routes, and often intersect them without a proper crossing. Every gas station is like road across pedestrian walk. The size of pedestrian track is too small – it should be at least two pram wide, and most of the time it’s hard to walk even for one person. Paving often non-existing or just disappears in the middle of the road. There are obstacles in the pedestrian track, and there is not enough distance around them for comfortable bypass.
3. Pedestrian tracks are often occupied by stuff and cars. Garbage bins, cars, some ‘stuff’ for builders, even verandas of cafes cutting hard into walking space.
4. State of the pedestrian tracks is often subpar (broken tiles, etc), which is really noticeable if walks with a pram or a stroller. Painful to imagine how it’s for wheel-chaired users.
5. The public transportation do not encourage walking. I’d like to use bus to get to the work (even if I walk a kilometer before/after the bus). There is none, so I commute every day in the car.
Without fixing those things, making one street ‘pedestrian only’ is kinda odd.
I considered using public transportation in the past. However, due to the terrible service and the recent TB outbreak I have lost any desire to do so. At least for the time being.
really good move, less cars the better.
It’s a failed attempt to revitalize Makariou Avenue.
Can’t wait for electric bikes to take hold on the island. It’s going to happen. Maybe in 10 years
I think it’s a big step forward and I wish it’s becomes broader
Cypriots: if I customers can’t drive all the way in front of my shop, we’ll lose them
Also Cypriots: I just bought this pair of Happy Socks at the mall after doing 12k steps looking around, having dinner, and browsing stores.
I totally agree with the closure
Maybe they should start by improving public transportation.