Fine 2 million euros on Attiki Odos for the fiasco in bad weather Elpis

Fines totaling 2 million euros were imposed on Attiki Odos for the chaos caused on the highway and the thousands of trapped vehicles during the “Elpis” bad weather.

In particular, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Costas Karamanlis, decided to impose the maximum fine provided by Law 4663/2020 on the companies Attiki Odos SA. (Concessionaire Company) and ATTICA ROUTES SA (Operation and Maintenance Company of Attiki Odos) for their fault regarding the traffic stoppage and the accompanying problems that arose after the snowfall of January 24, 2022. Specifically, a fine of 1 million euros was imposed on each company. The Minister’s decision was based on the Finding submitted to him by the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Ministry.

Mr. Karamanlis stated in this regard:

“After what happened on Attiki Odos, the Government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to take responsibility. To do this, the Ministry had planned to establish by 2020 the legal framework for assigning responsibilities to concessionaires when highways are closed. With Article 65 of Law 4663, we put a final end to the phenomenon of creating problems in the road network and then no one paying. And so today, for the first time, we can impose fines totaling 2 million euros.

At last in Greece the obvious is happening, which until recently was unthinkable. In less than a month, a Commission of Inquiry was set up, studied the data, came to conclusions about the culprits and their responsibilities, and imposed the maximum fine on them. Which of course is independent of the amounts that the company gives to the citizens after the personal intervention of the Prime Minister. “Because these are the few things we can – and should – do after such a serious incident, so that everyone understands that we are now a modern, prosperous State in which everyone assumes their responsibilities.”

The main points of the Inquiry of the Inquiry Committee

According to the Finding of the Commission of Inquiry:

• The managers of ATTICA ROUTES SA did not apply, as they should, what is provided in the Operation Manual and the Manual of Snow removal of Attiki Odos, where the snow removal procedures of Attiki Odos and the decision makers are accurately recorded.
• In addition, according to the data examined, the managers of ATTICA ROUTES SA. did not request, nor did they suggest to the Traffic Department of Attiki Odos at any time, the exclusion of the entrances to Attiki Odos.

And this despite the fact that the business managers of the Company ATTICA ROUTES SA they knew or should have known the appropriate way of managing an event of such a scale, which provides for the timely partial blockade of Attiki Odos entrances.

• The incorrect assessment of the situation and the business possibilities by the Company ATTICA ROUTES SA. eventually led to an irreversible result. Specifically, the decision for a partial blockade of the entrances of Attiki Odos should have been taken earlier than 11:00 a.m. If this had happened, then what followed would not have happened or would have happened on a much smaller scale.

This position of the Commission is based on the images of the traffic cameras on the Free Avenue of Elefsina – Stavros – Spata Airport, in the section from the Kifissia junction to the Marathon junction and on the Western Peripheral Avenue of Ymittos. The cameras also record significant omissions in the snow removal process.

It should be noted that in the recorded conversations of the Traffic Management Center with the Attica Road Traffic Department, the intense concern about whether it is possible to keep the road open is recorded very early, at 10:33 am.

• Also responsible is the Concessionaire Company “Attiki Odos SA”, which according to the provisions of the Concession Agreement, is obliged to take all appropriate measures for the safe, orderly and at a high level of service of the Project, the smooth and unhindered conduct of public traffic and the immediate and effective response to emergencies and / or emergencies, in order to fully ensure the safety of users (persons and vehicles).

Based on the above, “Attiki Odos SA”, although it has assigned through a contract the Operation and Maintenance of the Motorway to the company ATTICA ROUTES SA, had to exercise, itself, the appropriate control in the company in question, to ensure that it complies with all its obligations to the Greek State. Consequently, the Concessionaire Company “Attiki Odos SA” has full responsibility towards the State for the omission of control of the Company ATTICA ROUTES SA.

From the above, the Commission of Inquiry concludes that those responsible for the traffic stop on the Free Avenue Elefsina – Stavros – Spata Airport and the Western Peripheral Avenue of Ymittos on January 24, 2022 and the consequent problems were both the Concessionaire. . », As well as the Company ATTICA ROUTES SA

Taking into account the duration of the traffic stop, the extent, its consequences (large number of trapped vehicles, prolonged time for their release as well as the inconvenience of the onboard and even in extremely low temperatures) and the degree of fault of both the Concessionaire Company and and the company ATTICA ROUTES SA the Commission of Inquiry recommended:

1. To be imposed on the Concessionaire Company “Attiki Odos SA” the maximum amount of the administrative fine provided by the provisions of paragraph 8 of article 65 of law 4663/2020.

2. To be imposed on the company ATTICA ROUTES SA (Operation and Maintenance Company of Attiki Odos) the maximum amount of the administrative fine provided by the provisions of paragraph 8 of article 65 of Law 4663/2020.

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