THE GOVERNMENT is toying with the idea of imposing a congestion charge on cars entering the island’s main towns, as part of efforts to reduce traffic and increase public transport users.
“There are a series of measures that are being examined to help increase passenger movement and reduce private cars on the roads,” Communications Minister Efthymios Flourentzos said yesterday, after presenting parliament with his ministry’s 2012 budget.
“One such measure could be to impose a special charge for using each town’s central road,” he said.
Even though this is still just being discussed, the minister said it was a viable solution to help decongest the city centres and encourage more people to use public transport.
He added there are no thoughts of imposing highway tolls as the distances between towns are so short.
Regarding the budget, Flourentzos’ ministry was criticised by opposition MPs for reducing its development expenditures.
He admitted that they were reduced by over 29 per cent. “But after a number of discussions, a list of development works that could go ahead has been submitted to the finance ministry, which will be discussed soon,” said Flourentzos, adding that this list included all ministries.
“A broad discussion will take place to decide which works can go ahead and once decisions are made, we will return (to parliament) with a supplementary budget,” said Flourentzos.
The ministry’s top priority is to move ahead with the archaeological museum, as well as the regional road around the new GSP roundabout outside Nicosia towards the Anthoupolis suburb, said the minister.
The ministry has proposed collaboration between the public and private sectors for the museum, while the new road will be co-funded by the EU.
House finance committee chairman, DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos, said he was seriously concerned to see development expenditures reducing year by year, even with the economic crisis.
He also cited a document sent to his committee by the finance ministry, stating that the government had so far implemented just 44 per cent of its 2011 developmental budget.
“We are seeing that the developmental programme is not being implemented at the rate that we would desire,” Papadopoulos said after the session. “In a letter sent to the Finance Committee by the head of the Accountant-general’s Office, it is clearly apparent that just 44 per cent of the government’s broader developmental programme has been implemented. Of the €1.2 billion in the developmental programme, just €526 million has been spent until today.”
Papadopoulos said his committee had also been provided with a list of developments that have been cancelled for the time being, until the economy improves.
But this list does not include any grand projects that stand out – such as the much-anticipated Paphos-Polis Chrysochous highway. “There are some small developments that won’t be promoted, such as a new establishment for the justice ministry or the new state archives building. But other than that, there are no developments that really stand out.”
Zacharias Zachariou of opposition DISY said a lack of developmental provisions meant no new job opportunities and consequently a reduction in state revenue. He proposed collaboration with the private sector so new developments could go ahead, opening new job positions and boosting state revenue with the collection of more taxes.
The Communications Ministry’s budget for 2012 is €367.3 million, compared to €416 million last year – reduced by 11.7 per cent.
Developmental expenditures have reduced by 29.4 per cent, going from €138.1 million in 2011 to €97.6 million.
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