Newsroom
Makariou Avenue could soon reopen to all traffic during the day, following a majority vote by the Nicosia Municipal Council, but the final green light will need to come from the police and the European Union.
At Wednesday's council meeting, the Democratic Rally (DISY) proposed allowing all vehicles to use the central avenue from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. After 9 p.m. and until 7 a.m., access would be limited to authorized vehicles, including residents, workers, buses, and taxis.
The weekend rules would remain unchanged, still restricted to authorized vehicles only.
However, the plan isn’t official just yet. The municipality must still get approval from the chief of police and the traffic regulation agency, as well as the European Union, which helped fund the revamp of the avenue.
The vote passed with support from DISY, DIKO, EDEK and ELAM, while AKEL, the Greens, DIPA, and the Mayor of Nicosia opposed the move.
The proposed change marks a significant shift from the current traffic restrictions on Makariou Avenue, which had been revamped as a more pedestrian- and bus-friendly zone. If approved, it would allow regular cars back onto the busy road for most of the day, a move likely to spark mixed reactions from residents, commuters and environmental advocates alike.
