Nicosia encourages green transportation with new policy

Effective Saturday, July 1, the Nicosia Municipal Council will implement new parking fees in municipal parking areas, following a decision made on April 20, 2023. The council utilized its authority granted by the Municipalities Law and the Municipal Traffic Regulations to establish these fees, aiming to regulate parking and improve revenue generation.

Category A parking lots, including IHS Omirou, IHS Faneromeni, IHS Ledra/Ariadnis, MFA Tripoli, MFA Davila, DFA Kostanza (NO), and IHU Kostis Palamas (EBKAF), will be operated with barriers, automatic entry/exit/payment machines, and cameras. The new fees for Category A parking vary based on the duration of stay, as follows: free for up to 20 minutes, €2 for up to 1 hour, €3 for up to 3 hours, €3.50 for up to 5 hours, €4.50 for up to 7 hours, €6 for up to 10 hours, and €6 plus €0.50 for each additional hour after 10 hours.

To accommodate employees and residents within the city walls or adjacent streets, new plastic (proximity) monthly cards will be issued for Category A parking. The monthly fees for Category A parking are €45 for employees, €35 for residents, and a special category rate of €25 for eligible individuals, including students and uniformed personnel stationed at the Ledra barrier, such as police officers, firefighters, and customs officials. Exceptional cases in the "Special Category" will be considered upon the recommendation of the IFA Inspector and approval of the IG for a limited period.

The cost of reissuing a lost plastic card of any category is €10 while reissuing a worn-out plastic card due to misuse incurs the same fee. However, reissuing a worn-out plastic card due to long-term use (over 3 years) is free of charge. Failure to pay for the card on time will result in paying for a ticket instead of receiving free entry from the workers at the DFIs.

It should be noted that monthly use of the Omirou MFA will not be available to local residents, but existing residents will retain their access. Additionally, the Kostanja MFA will not offer monthly use during the Thursday and Saturday markets, as well as the Sunday bazaar, unless beneficiaries express their preference.

Category B includes Municipal Parking Areas operated with Pay & Display automatic payment machines and SMS messaging (SMS 9200). The specific lots included are IHU Mykonos, IHU Podokataros, MFA Parga, MFA Agios Antonios, MFA Swimming Pool, Buboulinas No. 1, and Bouboulinas No. 2. The fees for Category B parking are €1.50 for 1 hour, €2 for 2 hours, €3 for 3 hours, €3.50 for 4 hours, €4 for 5 hours, €4.50 for 6 hours, €5 for 7 hours, and €8 for 8-24 hours.

Similar to Category A, Category B monthly cards will be available for employees and residents within the city walls or adjacent streets. The monthly fees for Category B parking are €45 for employees and €35 for residents. However, certain lots such as Tempe MSA, Buboulinas 1 and 2 MSAs, Ann Komneni MSA, and Parga MSA will not offer monthly cards.

Moreover, the Podokataros ICC will introduce monthly use for buses and mini-buses, with fees of €100 per month for each bus seat and €65 per month for each mini-bus seat.

A discount will be provided for the prepayment of monthly parking tickets for periods longer than one month. A 10% discount will be granted for a 3-month prepayment, and a €15 discount will be given for a 6-month prepayment.

To ensure ample availability, 50-70% of the total capacity of each Category A and B parking area will be allocated for monthly parking cards, except for DHS Kostis Palamas. Additionally, the policy stipulates that no new cards will be issued for two or more MFIs to control capacity effectively.

Category C includes Municipal Parking Lots with roadside spaces, operated with parking meters, Pay & Display machines, and SMS messaging (SMS 9100). The fees for Category C parking are €1 for 30 minutes and €2 for 1 hour. Monthly cards for Category C are not available.

For Category D, Small Municipal Parking Lots such as Solonos, Trikoupis (terminal) No. 1, and Trikoupis (terminal) No. 2 will only utilize SMS messaging (SMS 9500). The fees for Category D parking are €1.50 for 1 hour and €2.50 for 2 hours. Monthly Category D cards will be offered exclusively to residents seeking to rent a permanent parking space and willing to pay €70 per month for the necessary mechanism to secure the room, such as a manual or automatic mechanism or a recycled tripod.

Category E is specific to parking at the DFS in Haralambos Mouskos Street (Dikastiria). The parking cost will be €3 until 2 pm, validated with a ticket. After 2 pm, the parking will operate using the Parking SMS 9200 system.

Category G introduces a monthly manual card for parking in Category A spaces at a reduced rate of €15 per month for low pensioners and low-paid residents within the city walls. To qualify, individuals must have an income not exceeding €700 per month and provide proof of income, such as a pension or salary statement.

Category H provides free two-hour parking through the SMS 9300 system in spaces that the Municipality rents or grants for specific periods due to various reasons, including temporary Municipal Parking Spaces like Bouboulinas 1 and 2, Agios Spyridonos (Vlonos Street), Crete, and future temporary Municipal Parking Spaces created for this purpose.

Coin-operated barriers will be installed in small Municipal Parking Areas where necessary to enhance control and safety. The fee for the barrier will be €3.00 for a twelve-hour period.

Furthermore, owners of electric vehicles or vehicles driven by an electric motor will be eligible for a free parking card for Category A facilities by presenting the vehicle's registration certificate. This policy will be reviewed annually unless the City Council determines otherwise.

Additionally, free parking spaces in PIOs (Public Information Offices) will be available for disabled persons displaying the relevant badge on their vehicles, as well as those with wheelchair-accessible vehicle permits. Journalists with the relevant badge, Journalists' Union, or PIO ID card will also be able to park for free during their duty hours. Police, fire, or other public service vehicles will have free parking during their duty hours. Notably, parking spaces in PIOs with electric vehicle chargers will also be free, with the duration of this offer subject to annual review based on the increase in such spaces.

Military personnel serving in outposts within the Nicosia Walls and ELDYK will have access to temporary free parking for the duration of their service. Each outpost and ELDYK will receive five cards, and a certificate from a unit commander will be required.

To utilize the SMS parking system, individuals can send the following codes to the respective numbers:

Category B: SMS 9200
Category C: SMS 9100
Category D: SMS 9500
Category E: SMS 9200 (after 2 p.m.)
Category H: SMS 9300

These new parking fees and regulations, which come into effect on Saturday, July 1, aim to streamline parking operations in municipal areas and ensure fair access to parking spaces while providing various options and benefits to different user categories.

[This article was translated from its Greek original]