Thessaloniki: 10% -12% increase in the number of trips Skai.gr

An increase of 10% to 12% in the total number of trips in the city of Thessaloniki and by 15% to 25% in the average travel time on main roads was found in 2021 compared to 2019 by the Institute of Sustainable Mobility and Transport Networks (IMET), as stated by the Director of Research of the Institute at CERTH, Georgia Aifantopoulou, at tonight’s special meeting of the Municipal Council of Thessaloniki on the exclusive issue of traffic.

Ms. Ayfantopoulou pointed out, among other things, that while in the past the main peak hours were in the morning and at noon, now the increased traffic has been consolidated with four-hour peaks that are repeated with three-hour intervals and later a long time to discharge the network. In order to deal with the situation, HIT prepared a list of critical nodes, which it gave to the Traffic Police in order to monitor them at specific intervals every day, while submitting a management process and more specific proposals on the issue. These include, inter alia, controlling illegal parking, optimizing the operation of traffic lights, cooperating with citizens and managing the distribution of goods.

The mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Zervas sent the message that the administration of the Municipality will not tolerate another decade of lost opportunities for Thessaloniki, characterized the traffic as the number one problem that concerns the city and presented the strategy of the Municipality with a specific grid of initiatives. These include, among others, the strengthening of the OASTH fleet by the Municipality with 49 vehicles, the support of all major infrastructure projects, the construction of new cycling routes, the completion of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SBAK) and the strengthening of the Unified Coordination Municipal Police and Greek Police Center.

At the same time, he announced that a 1.3 million euro project for the maintenance of the bicycle paths in Koundouriotou, Salaminos, the Polytechnic, Anagenniseos and the construction of a bicycle path in Papafi is starting with funding from the NSRF. In addition, 20 parking spaces are being prepared in the urban area, which will offer 764 new parking spaces in all neighborhoods, abandoned vehicles that occupy parking spaces are being removed and the cooperation with OASTH regarding the situation prevailing in the bus lanes is being restored, utilizing telecommunication.

For his part, the president of OASTH George Skodras noted that in the last two months there is a small increase in passenger traffic in the fleet of OASTH, however he commented that these figures are very far from the figures of 2019. He spoke of a very significant reduction of the speeds of the buses and a significant increase of the itinerary time in the whole urban complex.

The Deputy Regional Minister of Infrastructure and Networks of the Region of Central Macedonia Paris Billias pointed out that the operation of traffic lights is the responsibility of the Region and said that a few days ago the Region took responsibility for the maintenance and operation of traffic lights in Thessaloniki. The goal, he said, is for them to join the unified traffic management system of the Region, given that a project entitled “intelligent integrated traffic management system – integration of traffic control centers” has been implemented since March 2020. Upon its completion, in 4 months, as it estimated, delays are expected to be reduced at 120 key signaling junctions by 20% to 30%, reduction of peak travel times by 15% to 25% and reduction of pollutants by 10%.

The director of the Thessaloniki Traffic Police, Thomas Germenos, spoke about a large increase in traffic in the city from September onwards and stressed that those traffic wardens who are on the streets will not solve the problem. Their views were presented by representatives of many other bodies involved in traffic issues in the city and the representatives of the factions in the municipal council. Spyros Vougias, from the combination “Polychromi Thessaloniki”, presented and submitted to the council a package of 30 proposals. Elizabeth Fasoula called for a safe cycling network in the city, representing collectives of cyclists who had previously intervened with bicycles outside the town hall.