Corfu Town traffic problem to be resolved
traffic
29 Nov 2021
/ 21:23
CORFU. First discussion with organisations for the preparation of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP).
One of the biggest problems of Corfu Town is about to be resolved with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). The first public discussion on the content of the Plan took place today at the Municipal Theatre, with limited physical presence and via videoconference due to Covid restrictions.
The Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros coordinated the discussion, while the speaker was the representative of the contracting company Chrysostomos Rizomyliotis, who has signed with the Central Corfu Municipality a contract for an Integrated Plan for the Management and Design of Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUMP) Measures and Interventions for the Municipality for 15 years.
The maximum period to carry out the study with a total budget of €176,111 (including VAT) is 13 months and will be conducted in three distinct phases. Mr. Rizomyliotis pointed out that the participation of the organisations and members of the public is crucial.
Traffic problem
Mr. Rizomyliotis stressed that this is a road map for the coming years. The SUMPs in Greece have been underway for three years now and it is a particularly demanding project as no transport studies have been conducted in the country in the last twenty years. During these years there have been great changes in transport conditions, while climate change has made it imperative to shift towards sustainable mobility.
Plan’s main objectives
Mr. Rizomyliotis said that the company has already conducted research, recording and analysis of the main problems – the road hierarchy, the non-functioning of traffic lights, the mobility of pedestrians and people with special needs, the narrow pavements with all kinds of obstacles (signs, poles, rubbish bins, parked bicycles) and, of course, the lack of parking spaces. While talking about Corfu Town's major problems that should be addressed, he also referred to the plan’s main objectives:
- More frequent public transport
- Promotion of soft mobility (cycling, walking)
- Ensuring pedestrian mobility, especially for people with mobility problems
- Road safety
- Reduction of private cars
- Promotion of alternative transport fuels
- Management of access for delivery vehicles
- Organisation of parking
- Use of new technologies
Ydraiou: The public interest comes first
The Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands Mayor Meropi Ydraiou pointed out that the traffic problem is a priority for the Municipal Authority, regardless the political cost. “The political cost is a myth, it is just an excuse for not moving forward with the project. It is a social contract for our town, which puts the public interest first and the private one second. It is what we and our children deserve, in order to improve the quality of life and enhance our tourism product.”
Opinions
During the discussion, the President of Corfu Technical Chamber Yannis Metallinos, Alexandros Myrillas and Nikos Olympios on behalf of the Old Town Permanent Residents's Association, the Associate Professor at the National Technical University of Athens Konstantinos Kepaptsoglou, owner of a residence in the Old Town and the Director of the KTEL Bus Company Alexandros Pagalis, all submitted their views and comments.
Corfu Technical Chamber
The Corfu Technical Chamber President pointed out, amongst other things, that all the Municipality’s activities are in Corfu Town, which creates the traffic problem. He also reminded that “in the historic centre, which is a UNESCO monument, it is not possible to make a lot of interventions, but it would be desirable to prohibit vehicles, which requires the existence of public transport”.
The permanent residents
The Old Town permanent residents pointed out the need for the historic centre to remain a living organism, but it seems that the residents are gradually abandoning it. Their everyday life has become unbearable, said Mr. Olympios, and this is reflected in the residents' last record of vehicles, which had only 700 vehicles, while the one before Covid had 1,450 vehicles. He also stressed the need to prohibit heavy vehicles, as well as two-wheel vehicles, which occupy all public spaces. They reiterated their position that there should be access only for the vehicles of permanent residents, as well as trams, within the historic centre to meet the transport needs. Mr. Olympios also requested the Association's involvement in the plan development process.
Businesses did not participate
Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros expressed his satisfaction with the opinions heard and noted that the organisations expressed some views that will contribute to the plan. “However, the businesses did not participate in the discussion, even though they and the employees are the biggest part of the town's activity. I hope that they will participate in the next discussion, in order to express their views,” said Mr. Kalogeros.
The Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros coordinated the discussion, while the speaker was the representative of the contracting company Chrysostomos Rizomyliotis, who has signed with the Central Corfu Municipality a contract for an Integrated Plan for the Management and Design of Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUMP) Measures and Interventions for the Municipality for 15 years.
The maximum period to carry out the study with a total budget of €176,111 (including VAT) is 13 months and will be conducted in three distinct phases. Mr. Rizomyliotis pointed out that the participation of the organisations and members of the public is crucial.
Traffic problem
Mr. Rizomyliotis stressed that this is a road map for the coming years. The SUMPs in Greece have been underway for three years now and it is a particularly demanding project as no transport studies have been conducted in the country in the last twenty years. During these years there have been great changes in transport conditions, while climate change has made it imperative to shift towards sustainable mobility.
Plan’s main objectives
Mr. Rizomyliotis said that the company has already conducted research, recording and analysis of the main problems – the road hierarchy, the non-functioning of traffic lights, the mobility of pedestrians and people with special needs, the narrow pavements with all kinds of obstacles (signs, poles, rubbish bins, parked bicycles) and, of course, the lack of parking spaces. While talking about Corfu Town's major problems that should be addressed, he also referred to the plan’s main objectives:
- More frequent public transport
- Promotion of soft mobility (cycling, walking)
- Ensuring pedestrian mobility, especially for people with mobility problems
- Road safety
- Reduction of private cars
- Promotion of alternative transport fuels
- Management of access for delivery vehicles
- Organisation of parking
- Use of new technologies
Ydraiou: The public interest comes first
The Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands Mayor Meropi Ydraiou pointed out that the traffic problem is a priority for the Municipal Authority, regardless the political cost. “The political cost is a myth, it is just an excuse for not moving forward with the project. It is a social contract for our town, which puts the public interest first and the private one second. It is what we and our children deserve, in order to improve the quality of life and enhance our tourism product.”
Opinions
During the discussion, the President of Corfu Technical Chamber Yannis Metallinos, Alexandros Myrillas and Nikos Olympios on behalf of the Old Town Permanent Residents's Association, the Associate Professor at the National Technical University of Athens Konstantinos Kepaptsoglou, owner of a residence in the Old Town and the Director of the KTEL Bus Company Alexandros Pagalis, all submitted their views and comments.
Corfu Technical Chamber
The Corfu Technical Chamber President pointed out, amongst other things, that all the Municipality’s activities are in Corfu Town, which creates the traffic problem. He also reminded that “in the historic centre, which is a UNESCO monument, it is not possible to make a lot of interventions, but it would be desirable to prohibit vehicles, which requires the existence of public transport”.
The permanent residents
The Old Town permanent residents pointed out the need for the historic centre to remain a living organism, but it seems that the residents are gradually abandoning it. Their everyday life has become unbearable, said Mr. Olympios, and this is reflected in the residents' last record of vehicles, which had only 700 vehicles, while the one before Covid had 1,450 vehicles. He also stressed the need to prohibit heavy vehicles, as well as two-wheel vehicles, which occupy all public spaces. They reiterated their position that there should be access only for the vehicles of permanent residents, as well as trams, within the historic centre to meet the transport needs. Mr. Olympios also requested the Association's involvement in the plan development process.
Businesses did not participate
Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros expressed his satisfaction with the opinions heard and noted that the organisations expressed some views that will contribute to the plan. “However, the businesses did not participate in the discussion, even though they and the employees are the biggest part of the town's activity. I hope that they will participate in the next discussion, in order to express their views,” said Mr. Kalogeros.
