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Lawmakers are calling for greater transparency in the use of mobile traffic cameras following criticism that the current system relies on hidden surveillance rather than public safety.
The issue was debated Thursday in the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications, and Public Works, where several traffic-related legislative proposals were examined. Among them was a key bill by DISY MP Nikos Georgiou that aims to reform how mobile speed cameras are deployed.
Under current practice, mobile enforcement cameras are often concealed from view, a tactic MP Marinos Mousiouttas criticized as “unacceptable.” He likened the system to a game of “hide and seek” that undermines public trust and called for a balanced approach that encourages compliance without unfairly catching drivers off guard.
Georgiou’s proposal would require police to publish, in advance, the general areas where mobile cameras will operate; not precise times or exact locations, but specific streets, highways, or zones. The aim, he said, is to strengthen the preventive function of traffic enforcement by fostering transparency and trust rather than fear and resentment.
“Road safety cannot rely on ambushes,” Georgiou said. “It must be based on prevention, transparency, and mutual trust between the State and the public.”
The proposal responds to mounting public frustration, reflected in large online communities where over 150,000 users share real-time updates about mobile camera locations. These groups often express anger toward what is seen as entrapment by authorities.
Georgiou stressed that the proposed changes do not eliminate the camera system, but rather reinforce it. “We want a system that prevents, not surprises,” he said.
Despite a reported decrease in fatal road accidents, lawmakers criticized the police for offering limited data and resisting calls for more transparent enforcement. Georgiou expressed “great disappointment” with the police’s position that drivers should always be on alert for hidden cameras.
The camera transparency measure is one of several proposals advancing through the legislative process, including stiffer penalties for tampering with license plates to avoid detection, and increased fines for illegal taxi operations.
