By Stavros Petrides

Limassol’s festive season is in full swing, but the celebratory spirit is hampered by significant traffic congestion as holiday shoppers flood the streets. With Christmas markets, holiday villages and popular hubs like My Mall attracting crowds, roads are under severe strain, leaving residents and visitors fuming.

Passenger numbers on public transport have increased during the holiday season, particularly in the evenings.

“We are seeing increased passenger movement from 9pm to 12:30am, particularly among students and young people,” said Petros Theocharides, Limassol bus company (Emel) director of human resources, development, and communications.

Route 32, which takes small electric buses through Limassol’s narrow streets, is particularly popular.

While Emel is looking into ways to improve services, Limassol’s lack of dedicated infrastructure remains a significant challenge.

“Without bus lanes or priority measures at intersections, travel times for buses continue to increase rather than decrease,” Theocharides told the Cyprus Mail.

He stated that issues such as illegally parked cars and drivers blocking bus exits exacerbate delays, particularly during the holiday season. The company is working with experts from the University of Cyprus to redesign routes and modernise the network.

To reduce traffic congestion, Emel has strengthened its partnerships with major retail and entertainment venues. My Mall, for example, has worked with the bus company for many years to manage traffic flow. Recently, bus terminals were relocated to alleviate bottlenecks near the mall.

“These adjustments ensure buses maintain their schedules without contributing to gridlock,” Theocharides explained.

But with festivities attracting crowds to the Old Town Christmas Market and other holiday destinations, traffic has become a nightmare for many. While the completion of the Ypsonas roundabout near Agios Georgios church has improved traffic in the area, other roadworks in Limassol’s key areas continue with no clear timeline for reopening. These delays have only exacerbated congestion, frustrating residents.

“We’ve lost a lot of customers due to the roadworks,” said Michalis, a staff member of a pharmacy near the new Ypsonas roundabout.

“The construction took nearly a year to complete, and for months, the entrance to the pharmacy was blocked. Many people just decided to go to other pharmacies because they couldn’t easily get here. Now that the road is open, things are slowly improving, but those months of disruption took a toll.”

An Akrotiri resident, who commutes daily to Linopetra, also shared her frustration with the current roadworks. Elena explained that the temporary traffic lights, resulting from the reduction of two lanes to one, cause significant delays every morning, making her consistently late for work.

“The traffic lights have become a nightmare,” she said.

“Every morning, the delays are so bad that I’m always late for work. It’s getting worse with the holiday traffic too.”

While the holiday season brings joy, it also emphasises Limassol’s ongoing transport issues. With no immediate solutions in sight, Emel continues to advocate for better infrastructure, but progress is slow.

“Plans and promises abound, but no concrete measures have been implemented,” Theocharides admitted.

As Limassol looks to the future, balancing festive excitement with efficient transport remains a difficult puzzle. For the time being, residents and visitors will need to be patient as they navigate the holiday rush.