Association of Corfu Travel Agents: Corfu’s major problems remain unresolved
AOCTA
03 Jun 2022
/ 18:44
CORFU. Traffic, toilets, parking, lighting, traffic lights, rubbish are Corfu’s main problems.
The Association of Corfu Travel Agents expressed its disappointment at the Municipal Authority’s indifference and inefficiency:
“The Association of Corfu Travel Agents (AOCTA) would like to publicly express its disappointment for the indifference and inefficiency shown by the Central Corfu Municipality and the Technical Works Department, as despite their commitments to carry out projects to improve the quality of life of the Corfu residents and visitors, they have actually done nothing.
One of AOCTA's main requests is to solve the town’s traffic problem and the lack of parking spaces. In response to this issue, the Central Corfu Municipality had announced that four municipal car parks would be set up within the town, two of which would start operating before the start of this season.
Despite this, unfortunately, we have not been informed of any developments to date, while the traffic problem in the town remains unresolved and is growing as traffic is extremely increased due to tourism.
Another issue that AOCTA has repeatedly raised is the operation of the toilets at the entrance to Mon Repos. In a meeting held in early 2022, AOCTA demanded from the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros that the toilets located to the right of the main entrance of Mon Repos be completed by the end of March. This is because, due to the fact that only the Achillion gardens will be open to the public, as works will be carried out until 2023, a large number of people is expected to visit the Mon Repos Museum. The Mayor's response was that it is not possible for the toilets to be ready until March, but she promised that they will be ready for use in May.
Today is June 2 and although three years have passed under the current Municipal Authority, no progress has been made and no work has been done. Visitors are forced to use the surrounding area as toilet, while people with special needs are also facing a huge problem.
Parking in Mon Repos is another challenge for visitors, as parking spaces are non-existent and the maneuvering of the vehicles - especially tourist buses - heading to Mon Repos is dangerous. The Municipal Authority was asked to provide a parking area for the visitors' vehicles, while AOCTA proposed a solution. There has been no progress.
The regeneration of the Garitsa Park had begun before Easter. The lighting had been removed and prohibitive fences were put up in various places to help with the work "in progress". Today the toilets remain unfinished, there is no lighting, the grass has not been cleaned and the fences are still there, even though the work has stopped. The whole area looks abandoned.
The works in Athenagoras Kavadas St. in Garitsa have also been stopped for a long time, thus making the street dangerous as it could cause an accident, while it is also obstructing the smooth flow of traffic.
The road at the Emporiko Kentro is also dangerous as the traffic lights do not work. The airport traffic lights on Eth. Lefkimmi Rd are also only working when there are flight departures and not all the other times of the day.
Finally, there are still rubbish bins in front of monuments, even though it was asked that they be moved.
Unfortunately, our meetings with the Central Corfu Municipality had no results, since the decision makers promised us a lot and found an excuse for everything they had not done.
From now on, AOCTA, in cooperation with the other tourism bodies, will announce the problems that need to be resolved immediately by our Municipalities. The necessary or agreed upon things should be done at last”.
“The Association of Corfu Travel Agents (AOCTA) would like to publicly express its disappointment for the indifference and inefficiency shown by the Central Corfu Municipality and the Technical Works Department, as despite their commitments to carry out projects to improve the quality of life of the Corfu residents and visitors, they have actually done nothing.
One of AOCTA's main requests is to solve the town’s traffic problem and the lack of parking spaces. In response to this issue, the Central Corfu Municipality had announced that four municipal car parks would be set up within the town, two of which would start operating before the start of this season.
Despite this, unfortunately, we have not been informed of any developments to date, while the traffic problem in the town remains unresolved and is growing as traffic is extremely increased due to tourism.
Another issue that AOCTA has repeatedly raised is the operation of the toilets at the entrance to Mon Repos. In a meeting held in early 2022, AOCTA demanded from the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor for Technical Works Nikos Kalogeros that the toilets located to the right of the main entrance of Mon Repos be completed by the end of March. This is because, due to the fact that only the Achillion gardens will be open to the public, as works will be carried out until 2023, a large number of people is expected to visit the Mon Repos Museum. The Mayor's response was that it is not possible for the toilets to be ready until March, but she promised that they will be ready for use in May.
Today is June 2 and although three years have passed under the current Municipal Authority, no progress has been made and no work has been done. Visitors are forced to use the surrounding area as toilet, while people with special needs are also facing a huge problem.
Parking in Mon Repos is another challenge for visitors, as parking spaces are non-existent and the maneuvering of the vehicles - especially tourist buses - heading to Mon Repos is dangerous. The Municipal Authority was asked to provide a parking area for the visitors' vehicles, while AOCTA proposed a solution. There has been no progress.
The regeneration of the Garitsa Park had begun before Easter. The lighting had been removed and prohibitive fences were put up in various places to help with the work "in progress". Today the toilets remain unfinished, there is no lighting, the grass has not been cleaned and the fences are still there, even though the work has stopped. The whole area looks abandoned.
The works in Athenagoras Kavadas St. in Garitsa have also been stopped for a long time, thus making the street dangerous as it could cause an accident, while it is also obstructing the smooth flow of traffic.
The road at the Emporiko Kentro is also dangerous as the traffic lights do not work. The airport traffic lights on Eth. Lefkimmi Rd are also only working when there are flight departures and not all the other times of the day.
Finally, there are still rubbish bins in front of monuments, even though it was asked that they be moved.
Unfortunately, our meetings with the Central Corfu Municipality had no results, since the decision makers promised us a lot and found an excuse for everything they had not done.
From now on, AOCTA, in cooperation with the other tourism bodies, will announce the problems that need to be resolved immediately by our Municipalities. The necessary or agreed upon things should be done at last”.
