New Transport Minister Evanthia Tsolaki positive on the proposal – Transport experts examining more than 30 alternatives, with particularly strong response from Limassol residents
The prospect of introducing a tram system in Limassol is gaining an increasingly concrete place in the discussion about the city’s future transport network, with the new Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Evanthia Tsolaki, describing the proposal as “very promising”, while stressing that any decision should be based on a well-documented assessment of its sustainability and cost.
Speaking to “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, Ms Tsolaki said that “the introduction of a tram in Limassol appears to be a very promising proposal”, noting at the same time that it should be carefully studied “with sustainability in relation to cost as the main criterion”. The existence of significant potential for introducing a tram in Limassol is also confirmed by Professor Loukas Demetriou, head of the interdisciplinary team from Cyprus and abroad that is developing plans for the Limassol of tomorrow. The team, coordinated by the University of Cyprus and Frederick University, is examining a wide range of alternatives for the city’s future mobility.
Speaking to “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, Professor Loukas Demetriou said that introducing a tram is one of the options under consideration, while stressing that such infrastructure represents a significant intervention in the urban environment and requires investments that could amount to hundreds of millions of euros. “We need to be very careful and really assess whether investing in such a mode of transport is worthwhile, how it can best be combined with the city’s other initiatives, how the public will embrace it and whether it is genuinely needed,” he said.
Of particular importance is the fact that the study is not limited to a potential tram line along the coastal front.
According to Mr Demetriou, during the first six months of the study, a large volume of data was collected, including findings from an extensive questionnaire survey of Limassol residents.
As he explained, the Municipalities gave the scientific team the freedom to examine different scenarios without pre-determining a specific solution or route. “There is no ‘yes’ or ‘no’ yet. We did not focus solely on the option of placing a tram along the coastal road. We examined many alternatives – more than 30 – in order to determine what is best and according to which criteria,” he said.
The study is currently at the core of its technical assessments and calculations, with the professor avoiding any prediction regarding the final outcome. “I would not want to say at this stage that we will or will not have a tram. I can, however, say that there is definitely scope for a tram,” he noted. One of the most interesting findings so far concerns the attitude of the public itself.
As Mr Demetriou revealed, the response of Limassol residents to the prospect of introducing a tram has been particularly positive.
“Our fellow Limassol residents view it very positively. We were also impressed by how well such a step has been received. Perhaps people are actually asking for it,” he said. Public acceptance is an important factor, although it is not, in itself, a sufficient condition for such a major investment. The final assessment will need to take into account expected passenger demand, construction and operating costs, the integration of the system with other modes of transport, and its impact on the urban environment.
As is well known, the discussion on a tram was initiated by Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis, who stresses that the system should not be assessed solely from a transport perspective, but also on the basis of its potential to contribute to the upgrading of public space. The Municipality of Limassol, in cooperation with the transport experts from the universities, is examining the relevant data, with the first results of the preliminary study expected, according to previous statements by the Mayor, in September or October.
Mr Armeftis has noted that international examples demonstrate that even cities with smaller populations than Limassol have succeeded in operating sustainable and successful tram systems.
In his view, such a mode of transport could also serve as a tool for urban regeneration, as it could be integrated into areas where private cars are removed or restricted. A characteristic example is Aktaias Street and the plans being promoted through the new architectural competition. In areas intended primarily for public transport and pedestrians, the tram could, according to the Mayor, be integrated more harmoniously, including through squares and redesigned public spaces.
He has nevertheless made it clear that the final decisions will ultimately depend on three key factors: sustainability, the overall cost and the potential for the investment to pay for itself.
