The effort of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works is to integrate the bicycle into the everyday life of citizens, as a safe and reliable means of transportation, exercise and entertainment, pointed out the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Mr. Yiannis Karousos, speaking during the opening ceremony of project "Construction of cycling infrastructure connecting the Universities of Nicosia with the City Center - Phase II", in the presence of the Mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Constantinos Yiorkadjis.

The opening ceremony was preceded by a cycling ride starting at the University of Nicosia and ending at the Municipal Theater of Nicosia, with the participation of a large number of cyclists.
According to Mr. Karousos, until now the absence of cycling infrastructure made it difficult for citizens to choose the bicycle for their daily commute. Now, he said, this hurdle has been overcome, thus adding an economical and environmentally friendly option for the movement of citizens in Nicosia.

The promotion of cycling, the Minister underlined, is part of the wider commitment of the Ministry and the Government to get rid of carbon emissions, as stated in the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030, which envisages climate neutrality by 2050. By promoting cycling as a means of transportation, the Government aims to improve the traffic problem by providing options for commuting in the city and introducing the bicycle into the everyday life of the citizen. Furthermore, cycling, in addition to reducing the environmental footprint and urban noise, promotes an upgraded quality of life, saves energy and contributes to reducing the wear and tear of road surfaces, said Mr. Karousos.

Speaking specifically about the bicycle route that was inaugurated today, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works described it as very important, since it will connect the Universities of Nicosia both with each other and with the center of the City. The infrastructure, he said, is expected to serve the students and contribute to the reduction of the financial burden on their families, since it is a clearly more economical option to purchase and maintain compared to the car. He invited the students to take advantage of this new cycling route and to include cycling in their daily lives, not only as a means of transportation, but also as a form of exercise and entertainment.

Finally, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works thanked and congratulated the Mayor of Nicosia, the Directorate and the Officers of the Sustainable Mobility Sector and the Office of the District Engineer of Nicosia of the Department of Public Works, the Technical Services of the Municipality, as well as the companies Dionysis Toumazi and Partners and KEDRIS CONSTRUCTION LTD for the preparation of the study for the construction plans of the second phase and the construction of the Project, respectively.

The Mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Constantinos Yiorkadjis, welcomed the attendees to the inauguration of the completed Phase 2 of the Cycle Path project that connects the universities of Nicosia with the City Center.

The Municipality's vision is for Nicosia to develop into a more sustainable city for the benefit of future generations, underlined the Mayor of Nicosia, stating that the ecological footprint of the city should be minimized by reducing pollution from cars and facilitating access to other forms of transport, friendly to the environment, such as bicycles.
That is why the network of cycling routes was created, said Mr. Yiorkadjis, which will make cycling to and from the center of Nicosia a daily, comfortable, pleasant and above all safe experience for everyone.

Speaking about the inclusion of the bicycle route within Pedieos, he referred to the citizens who live in the areas of Strovolos and Lakatamia, where they now have the opportunity to take their bicycle and, in a short period of time, visit the city center.

While an important, pre-existing part of the project falls within the boundaries of the Municipality of Engomi, as the start of the route is from Ilias Papakyriakou Street.
Finally, Mr. Yiorkadjis pointed out that with the completion of Phases C' and D', which are expected to be announced soon, the connection with Kaimakli and Pallouriotissa will also take place, thus completing the vision of the cycling connection.

The infrastructure inaugurated today is the 2nd of the 4 phases of the Project (construction value: €2,235,000), it starts from Metochi of Kykkos and ends at Solomos Square and is 5.2 kilometers long. The longest length of the cycle route runs on the road surface and the remaining length of the cycle route was placed through the Nicosia Public Garden and next to the sidewalks. As part of the Project, a 20m long bridge has also been built over Pedieos river, for use only by pedestrians and cyclists, which connects Gladstonos Street with Herodotus Municipality Street.

The Project was proposed through the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Sustainable Development", priority axis "Promotion of Sustainable Transport and Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions", with main goal the promotion of active means of transport and the use of the bicycle as a means of transport. The Project was co-funded by 85% from the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and 15% by the Republic of Cyprus.

_________________

Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works

14 May 2022