Speed cameras are installed near roundabouts based on studies and international practices, and not on "puzzles", says the Director of Traffic at the Police Headquarters, Haris Evripidou, to CNA, who stated that based on data, these points are considered "black" and are mostly selected by the Traffic Police, so that speed cameras can be installed by its members.
According to Haris Evrypidou, the "black" spots, where accidents, especially fatal ones, are frequently recorded, as well as roads considered to be of high risk, are mostly selected by the Traffic Police, noting that the criteria - according to which these spots are selected - arise from international practices and through university research.
On the contrary, former Deputy Chief of Police Dimitris Dimitriou sees an attempt to trap drivers and particularly criticizes the phenomenon of placing speed cameras near roundabouts. This tactic is also criticized by former Police Director of Traffic at Police Headquarters, Andreas Papas.
Continuous and unexpected policing
Asked by the Agency to state whether the radars, which are set up near roundabouts within cities and on a permanent basis, are decided or approved on the basis of a scientific approach, Mr. Evrypidou emphasized that for the selection of the points, the Traffic Police relies on studies, scientific documentation and experience that has existed for twenty years, adding at the same time that these studies stipulate that "policing must be continuous and unexpected."
As he noted, based on studies, "policing should be carried out everywhere, especially where there is an increased risk of accidents, but also in specific areas, which are judged by evidence to be unsafe."
When asked whether specific points near roundabouts, where there is a permanent radar, are considered "black" by the Police, he stated that "they are either black or dangerous points", emphasizing that this is "clearly demonstrated" by the four recent accidents that occurred on April 16, 2025, with one of them occurring between the Nicosia General Hospital roundabout and the IKEA department store, in Nicosia.
"These recent examples require that there be policing everywhere, but also in specific spots, where every year there are studies by the competent Police Department, which determine them as black or dangerous spots," he said.
Mr. Evripidou did not rule out the possibility of an accident, even a fatal one, occurring on any road, at any point on the road network, even at a roundabout.
"The intention is not to denounce peaceful citizens"
Commenting that the radars, which are set up near roundabouts, seem to aim to report peaceful citizens who may have slightly exceeded the speed limit, Mr. Evrypidou said that "the Police's aim is not to report peaceful citizens", adding that "for better or worse, there is a tolerance in Cyprus, while in other countries there is none".
He explained that on intercity roads and highways, the "tolerance limit" of 20% remains, as informally given to drivers, so drivers on highways continue to have the right to drive at speeds of up to 120 instead of 100 km/h, which is the permitted limit.
Regarding the limit within cities and in residential areas, he said that the tolerance limit of 10% + 2 kilometers applies, that is, if the limit on a specific road is 50 km, the driver is only allowed to exceed the limit by 10% (i.e. 5 kilometers) plus 2 km, therefore 57 km.
According to Haris Evripidou, if the limit is 30 km, as is the case near roundabouts, then the driver can drive up to 35 km.
In fact, he described as "false, inaccurate and completely unfounded" the complaints of citizens who speak of complaints by members of the Police for 10 thousand more than the limit.
"I am intense, because we have four fatalities in one day and unfortunately there are our fellow citizens who, instead of thinking that they should go 10 thousand below, think about how to run 10 thousand above and not be reported," he said.
Asked to comment on reports received by CNA regarding incidents of police officers conducting speed checks without being discernible, Haris Evripidou said that police officers "really do it and will continue to do it" so that the reduction in fatal accidents can be achieved.
"The police officers must stand somewhere. Either on the edge, or in the middle, or on the opposite side, or hidden, or covered inside a car, which is without license plates, without headlights on, so that they can control the speed," he said characteristically.
He announced that police officers will continue to use this practice, "as evidenced by documented research from international universities."
They don't set up "stools"
In relation to the complaints about the installation of speed radars on a permanent basis daily at specific points near roundabouts, the Director of Traffic Police clarified that they are not installed "on a permanent basis", but noted that "these are points where radars are installed regularly".
He explained that radars are set up at these points during hours when increased speeds are considered to be recorded, and not daily.
He also mentioned that there is planning at which points the radars will be set up, noting that the radars are not set up in "scraps" and that a specific program is followed.
Over 15 thousand speeding complaints
It is noted that since January 1, 2025, members of the Traffic Police Headquarters have reported 15.540 citizens for speeding.
According to Haris Evripidou, the average number of complaints per day is 150.
Installing radar near roundabouts is trapping drivers, say former Traffic Police officials
CNA contacted two former Directors of the Traffic Police Headquarters, Dimitris Dimitriou and Andreas Papas, asking them to comment on citizen reports that speak of the installation of radars near roundabouts, as well as on the specific practice that has been followed by the Traffic Police recently.
The former Deputy Chief of Police and for many years Director of the Traffic Police Headquarters, Dimitris Dimitriou, said that "it is unacceptable to set up radars near roundabouts."
He referred to circulars, issued from time to time, when he was at the Department's Directorate, which stated that "when approaching roundabouts or when speed limits change, radars should not be installed", to note that such practices constitute a "trap for the driver".
"Radars are placed in black spots and where high speeds have been proven to occur and fatal or serious accidents have been caused. Under no circumstances should radars be placed where speed limits change, because the driver needs to make an adjustment there," explained Mr. Dimitriou.
The former Traffic Police Director of the Police Headquarters, Andreas Papas, stated that "it is very difficult for drivers to respect the limit when speed limits change, let alone when entering or exiting a roundabout."
For him, as he said, "it is unacceptable - if it really happens - to place a radar at a point that traps a driver after changing the speed limit."
As he frequently noted, the Police have data on where accidents, small or large, occur, and if over a period of five years a large number of accidents, whether serious or fatal, are recorded at a specific location, then instructions are given for the installation of speed cameras there.
Source: KYPE
