Insider
The contract concerning the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems on the highways of Cyprus and the main road network of Nicosia was signed at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works.
The contract was signed, on behalf of the Government, by the Director of the Public Works Department, Antonis Koutsoulis and on behalf of Logicom Solutions Ltd, the CEO, Chrysostomos Kritiotis.
The Contract provides for the installation of four electronic signs to inform the users of the road network about the prevailing situation (eg travel times on specific axes, possible queues and accidents). It also provides for the installation of 21 surveillance cameras of the road network and additional 14 traffic meters.
The purchase, installation and connection of the systems with the control center located at the Head Office of the Department of Public Works is funded by the European Union (Cross-Border Cooperation Program Greece – Cyprus, 2014-2020, Step2Smart Act, Fund Connecting Europe CEF for Trans-European TEN Networks -T, and the Horizon Fund 2020 – H2020), and the Republic of Cyprus.
The duration of the Contract is eight months, followed by six years of maintenance.
The above equipment adds to the existing Intelligent Transport Systems systems installed by the Department of Public Works on the highways, the main road network of Nicosia and the entrances of the cities, which include more than 120 traffic meters and 5 surveillance cameras of the road network.
Full coverage of the Cyprus network
The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Giannis Karousos, stated that the full coverage of the Cyprus network will be achieved in the next three years with the expansion of the above systems, which will be funded by the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF). “Indicatively, 20 additional electronic information signs, 100 traffic surveillance cameras and 180 meters are envisaged, the latter will be installed in their majority in the main road network of the cities of Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos,” said Mr. Karousos.
The complete coverage of the road network offers the digitization of the networks and the completion of the monitoring and simulation platforms (Digital Twin). Their implementation achieves the best management of transport networks by the responsible bodies, the provision of information through a National Access Point to the network users, to individuals for the development of navigation applications and to research or university institutions for research and development purposes.
Impressive jumps
He also pointed out that Intelligent Transport Systems have been widely developed in many countries around the world since the 1960s. Since then, there have been impressive leaps in this field, both in technology and in telecommunications.
The aim of the development of these systems is to increase the security and capacity of transport networks. This is achieved by normalizing traffic, responding immediately to events and informing users to make the right choices in the medium they will use and / or the path they will follow.
“Successful applications that have been made have resulted in an increase in the capacity of road transport networks by up to 10%, a reduction in travel time by 20% and a reduction in the number of accidents by 15%. With the successful introduction of fleet management systems, the routing is optimized, fuel consumption is reduced and a savings in the entire operating cost of 5-10% is achieved “, Mr. Karousos underlined.
The CEO of Logicom Solutions Ltd, stated that it is with a high sense of responsibility that the company undertakes this important project which will bring significant benefits with the ultimate goal of improving road safety, traffic flow and environmental protection. .
Concluding, Mr. Kritiotis stated that “best practices and experiences from similar projects will be applied, and I am sure that the success of the project will be ensured and the benefits to the Republic and the citizens will be maximized”.
