Transport minister doubles down on €300 fine for running red light

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades doubled down on Wednesday on the issuing of €300 fines for those who run red lights.

Speaking to newspaper Phileleftheros, he said “there is no question of changing the fine.”

He added that the police had been “strongly opposed” to the idea of any reduction in the fine for running a red light but had been open to reducing the fine paid by people who inadvertently cross the white line while stopping at an intersection.

The fine for crossing the line is set at €25.

Vafeades added that stop lines will be moved back and intersections enlarged, “so it becomes more understandable where drivers have to stop.”

He also spoke on the issue of penalty points. Currently, he said, points remain on people’s licences for two to three years, but plans are afoot to change this.

The Transport Ministry has plans to create a “school of offending drivers” to offer awareness courses for those with points on their licences.

Vafeades said that until the school is created, motorists can take points off their licences by undertaking community service, with good deeds such as road cleaning and working voluntarily in elderly care homes included in the programme.