Larnaca unveils park and ride plan to ease traffic

Larnaca has issued tenders for the construction of two park and ride facilities as part of its Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). Inspired by Nicosia’s successful park and ride initiative, the municipality has partnered with the Public Works Department to launch its own scheme. The goal is to alleviate traffic congestion in the city and on major highways leading to Nicosia, Limassol, and Paralimni, addressing the rapid development of Larnaca. 

The first two locations, Aradippou and Kalo Chorio stations, are situated on the eastern edge of the city. Each site will include a building with a canopy, bus stops for two buses, and 67 and 195 parking spaces, respectively. The project covers planning, construction, and a 12-year maintenance period for both facilities. The park and ride stations are financed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, with a total cost of approximately EUR 3.7 million. 

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades indicated that additional park and ride designs are under discussion: ‘The philosophy of park and ride is to reduce the number of cars entering the city by providing incentives to visitors. We are constantly looking for new spaces that can accommodate car parking, bicycle rentals, and connections to bike lanes and pedestrian zones.’ The municipality has proposed further locations closer to the city centre and in the southern parts of Larnaca near the airport.

In addition to the park and ride scheme, Larnaca is upgrading its main roads as part of other SUMP priority projects. These upgrades include the construction of bus lanes, bike lanes, pedestrian and cyclist crossings, and ramps for people with disabilities, with estimated costs of EUR 18.75 million.

Author: Claus Köllinger

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.