At the meeting of the Transport Committee, Communications and Works of the House of Representatives was joined today by Minister for Transport, Communications and Works Mr. Yannis Karousosos, during which he informed the members of the Committee on a number of issues related to the responsibilities of the Ministry.
In particular, the legislative package regulating the movement of Personal Mobility Devices (scooter type), the amendments being promoted to the Driving Licence and Access to the Road Transport Profession Laws, as well as the problems faced by taxi drivers with the fixing of a fixed fare were discussed.
1. Legislative package to regulate the movement of Personal Mobility Devices (scooter-type) - Bill entitled "The Regulation of the Movement of Bicycles and Other Personal Mobility Devices (Amendment) Act, 2021"
Pending the adoption of a common European regulation governing the use of scooters or e-scooters as a means of transport in the micro-mobility category, Cyprus is proceeding with the adoption of a national, interim legislative regulation.
The choice of parameters has been made with a view to ensuring road safety and concern:
- Place of circulation: cycle track, cycle lane or area that is an extension of a cycle lane (an area shared by cyclists and pedestrians, in a square or pavement only after a decision by the municipality or community concerned).
- Age of users: 16 years and over.
- Personal protective equipment: compulsory use of a helmet.
- Minimum equipment of the device: brake system, front and rear lights, bell, tyres.
- Maximum speed of the device: 15 km/h.
- Maximum speed of the device: 15 km/h.
The bill also includes provisions on the market (specific obligations of importers/manufacturers/sellers on minimum equipment and maximum speed), on existing Devices, on the licensing of Device rental companies, offences and penalties, etc.
2: At the end of the period of validity of the learner's permit, the driver, if he/she does not obtain a regular driver's license, will have to undergo the examination and issuance of the learner's permit again.
[*]Addressing the issue of driving mopeds and motorcycles on the road network by a person holding only a learner's permit: under the Bill, driving a moped and motorcycle by a learner is permitted only when accompanied by a licensed instructor and wearing protective equipment, namely:
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i) Helmet,
ii) Jacket or vest with luminous stripes,
iii) Trousers and boots or shoes,
iv) Protective knee pads and gaiters, gloves and back and hip protectors.
- Specifying obligations for protective clothing when driving a moped or motorcycle for business purposes (e.g. The professional driver of a moped and motorcycle shall wear:
i) Helmet
ii) Jacket or vest with luminous stripes,
iii) Trousers and boots or shoes,
iv) Protective knee pads and kneepads, gloves and back and hip protectors, and
v) Moped/motorcycle specific airbag/airbag vest.
The equipment is provided by the driver's direct or indirect employer.
In addition, Mr. Karousos informed the members of the Parliamentary Committee that the Budget of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works includes an amount of €1.050 million for the period 2022-2024 for the implementation of projects to subsidize protective equipment for motorcyclists, including airbags.
Finally, the Minister said that it is estimated that by the end of this year, motorcycles will have to undergo a technical inspection in a similar way to that of cars. The aim, according to Mr. Caruso, is to check the suitability of motorcycles in order to ensure to a greater extent the safety of motorcyclists on the road network.
- Removal of the legal ambiguity concerning the criminalisation of the offence of employing an employee to drive a vehicle without the employee holding a normal driving licence for the category of vehicle driven for the purposes of his/her work.
3. Amendments to the Access to the Road Transport Profession Act
The Bill introduced regulates the meaning of "group of passengers" and specifies that a group of passengers includes at least eight passengers, not including the driver. The regulation of this issue has been a long-standing request of taxi associations, as part of their more general call for a crackdown on piracy in their industry, as there was ambiguity as to the number of persons considered to be a group of passengers. The result of this was the creation of unfair and unfair competition to taxis by the inclusion of minibuses that were used as quasi-taxis without being categorised as taxis.
4. Problems faced by taxi drivers - setting a fixed fare
The aim of setting a fixed fare to and from airports was to solve the long-standing problem of providing adequate information to visitors/tourists in Cyprus and the travelling public in general. The setting of fixed fares aims to give credibility to taxi transport, but also to improve professionalism and increase passenger traffic in this sector and was based on similar practices applied in many foreign countries. According to the results of the adoption of the fixed fare policy so far, it appears that the practice is largely implemented and is achieving its purpose.
In conclusion, the Transport Minister mentioned the procurement of a special road inspection vehicle, which will be used to inspect the road network and to quickly and automatically record the deterioration of the road network. In the same context, the Ministry, in cooperation with the Centre of Excellence "KOIOS", is in the process of preparing an application for smart phones, through which road users themselves will be able to inform the competent Departments and Services about damage detected in the road network, for their immediate correction.
Fotini Tsiridou: The reason for the road accidents observed in our country
DISY MP Fotini Tsiridou said the following after the session:
Today in the Transport Committee was present and the Minister of Transport himself, Mr. Karuso, to discuss with him mainly road safety issues. On the occasion of the road accidents that occur in our country.
A. The first issue concerns Personal Mobility Devices (scouters or electric scooters) which are being developed around the world, initially as a means of recreation, while gradually and on a case-by-case basis they are being converted into a means of transport in the category of micro-mobility. These developments force us to separately regulate the movement of Personal Mobility Devices, taking into account various parameters, based on road safety, mobility, as well as urban planning, traffic and other data on the ground.
In this context and due to the introduction, distribution and use of Personal Mobility Devices throughout Cyprus, with emphasis on tourist areas, it is necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to promote the legislative regulation of the use of Personal Mobility Devices.
In this context and due to the introduction, distribution and use of Personal Mobility Devices throughout the country, with emphasis on tourist areas, it is necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to promote the legislative regulation of the use of Personal Mobility Devices.
In this context and due to the introduction, distribution and use of Personal Mobility Devices throughout Cyprus, with emphasis on tourist areas, it is necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to promote the legislative regulation of the use of Personal Mobility Devices.
For this first issue 3 bills have been submitted by the Ministry,
- i. The first one is the one on the regulation of the movement of bicycles which will introduce there regulations on what these devices are, what specifications they must have, who will be able to use them and where.
- ii. The second bill, (on outlaw regulation) will regulate outlaws and offenders and
iii. the third, (on motor vehicles and traffic) will prohibit the use of scooters on the road network.
B. Additionally, as a second matter, we initiated discussion of the Driver's License Amendment Act of 2022, with respect to the issue of the use of learner's permits by drivers of mopeds and motorcycles while at work, and the requirement that they use protective clothing. Based on a study carried out by the EU on the cost of motorcycle accidents in each country , in relation to the social and economic impact, the study showed that in Cyprus such accidents cost 250 million euros.
Specifically, the proposed bill regulates the period of validity of the learner's permit, after which the driver, if he does not obtain a regular driver's license, will have to undergo again the procedure of examination and issuance of the learner's permit.
The proposed law regulates the duration of the learner's permit, after which the driver, if he does not obtain a regular driver's license, will have to undergo again the procedure of examination and issuance of the learner's permit. In addition, it regulates driving on the road network by a learner driver, such that learners, of all categories of mopeds and motorcycles, may be trained on the road network, provided that they are accompanied and under the direct supervision of a licensed driver trainer. Finally, the proposed bill regulates that both trainee drivers and moped and motorcycle drivers during their work, as the most prone to traffic collisions, must, in addition to a protective helmet, wear the appropriate protective clothing that a motorcyclist must wear. With regard to delivery drivers and whether they will be provided with the means and protective equipment countries such as Greece have decided that it will be provided by the employer in response to a State that cares about the worker and especially in the difficult times we are living in. We have listened to the concerns of all stakeholders, we have taken them seriously and we will continue to discuss and examine the issues that arise.
I would also like to mention very important decisions taken by the Ministry of Transport in relation to road safety. In particular, this amount will be used as an incentive for motorcyclists to purchase protective equipment such as helmets and airbags.
-A special vehicle costing 1 million euros was also recently purchased, which will scan the road network with special cameras, sensors and GPS to check the suitability of the road surface all over the country. The data will be automatically sent through an electronic system to the Ministry for control.
-The creation of a platform (Fix Cyprus) where road users, pedestrians or drivers, will be able to enter information about problems or violations of the road network. The data they enter will be recorded so that the road network can be improved.
The primary concern of the Transport Committee and DISY with regard to the above issues is to ensure high levels of road safety. Finally, examining ways of dealing with unfair competition against taxi drivers from minibuses in circulation, we studied the possibility of amending the definition of the "passenger group" that minibuses can serve.
Yiannakis Gavriel: Concerns about uncontrolled importation and driving of scooters by young people
For his part, AKEL MP Giannakis Gavriel said the following:
"During today's debate in the Transport Committee, which took place in the presence of the Minister of Transport, bills concerning the regulation of personal mobility devices, the so-called scooters, were presented before MPs.
We stressed that these are in the right direction, noting however some concerns and worries, such as for example the non-obligation to register these devices, potentially leading to uncontrolled importation. How safe is it to drive such devices, particularly when they are to be used by young people, as the Bill envisages, aged 16 and over?
These are some of our concerns, which we have raised before the Minister for Transport and we await responses."
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