The government said Monday it has implemented changes to the functioning of a small number of traffic cameras following complaints about drivers getting unfairly saddled with fines for violations.

Alexis Vafeades was responding to Dipa MP Marinos Mousiouttas, who had relayed complaints from members of the public regarding the way some traffic cameras ‘ensnare’ motorists.

The minister said that authorities have already made changes to the duration of the green light at five traffic junctions where cameras are installed.

The changes made concerned the traffic lights at the following intersections: in Nicosia at Grivas Digenis Avenue with Prodromou Avenue, and at Grivas Digenis Avenue with Dimosthenis Severis Street; in Larnaca at Spyros Kyprianou Avenue with Panagouli Street, and at Spyros Kyprianou Avenue with Luther King Street; and in Limassol at Franklin Roosevelt Avenue with Omonia Street.

In addition, similar changes will be made to the intersection of Ellados Avenue with Tassos Papadopoulos Avenue in Paphos.

Vafeades noted that violations for running a red light are not registered at the precise moment when the green light turns off, but rather after a certain ‘grace period’ known as the ‘inter-green period’.

“The inter-green period once the green light switches off lasts for some time, so that an intersection is cleared of the vehicles crossing it, until the green light turns on for the other direction,” the minister explained.

In tandem with these changes, the transport ministry is also carrying out a traffic metering study, analysing how traffic cameras perform across the island.

Data gathering is ongoing, and the Department of Public Works will collate the data and present a report by the end of January at the latest.

The department will use specialised software to assess how traffic lights perform – for example how long the three lights stay on at the intersections and whether the timings require tweaking to ensure smoother traffic.

Currently 90 fixed cameras operate at 29 points across the country: seven points in Nicosia, ten in Limassol, seven in Larnaca, and five in Paphos.

Additionally there are 20 mobile cameras operating at major junctions.