The committee formed to lobby for the re-opening of Makarios Avenue to cars insisted on Friday it was the correct course of action and believes the EU cash that partly funded the traffic-free revamp would not have to be refunded to the bloc.

The initiative is made up of shopkeepers, residents and small business owners.

In a statement on Friday a representative of the initiative group also demanded the restoration of two-way traffic on the southern section of the avenue leading to the highway.

They believe that with the changes decided by the Nicosia municipal council, “we will not have to return a single euro to the European Union“. The group said they have submitted a memo on the matter to the House transport committee, which discussed the issue on Thursday.

Related Articles

During the meeting Greens MP Charalambos Theopemptou slammed the local authority’s decision saying it damaged Cyprus’s credibility with the EU and could results in as much as €21 million in funding having to be repaid.

Despite the backlash, the municipality plans to go ahead with the reopening.

Recently, municipal councillors had voted for the central Nicosia street to reopen for traffic after it was closed except for buses and taxis, saying it was done to breathe life back into the city centre.

The lobby initiative said on Friday there had been a long-running dialogue following requests by shopkeepers and resident and that the “vast majority of the city wants Makariou to reopen”.

They said they had submitted proposals, among other things, for proper traffic regulations, expansion of the pedestrian areas, creation of bike lanes, one-way streets and other improvements, and for addressing energy poverty.

“Measurements and numbers that are meaningless are presented, baseless claims are put forward,” the group said.

“The numbers that are worth identifying, the questions that need to be answered, are how many small businesses and how many residents remain in the Nicosia commercial core, how is sustainable urban mobility served by the demise of this important centre of commerce and the attempts to exterminate the last ones that are still holding out?”

The group said they were ready to accept the opening of Makarios to traffic from 9am to 9 pm, instead of from 7am to 9pm so that the early shuttle Pame Express, which uses the traffic-free zones to carry workers from the parking area at the GSP stadium into town.

Reports on Friday said the bus company was planning to sue the municipality if the avenue was re-opened to traffic.

It was also reported on Friday that the Nicosia municipality was waiting for a decision from the official body that studies and regulates traffic. They are due to meet on June 19. Their decision is expected to be binding.