About 90 per cent of traffic on the roads is private commuting and carving out new roads will not solve the problem, the Environmental Movement said on Thursday, presenting a list of other solutions needed to alleviate the problem, such as smart traffic lights and encouraging cycling.

The movement acknowledged that travelling by bus or other public transport remains difficult, as limited routes mean changing buses even for short distances, turning a 10-minute drive into an hour’s ride.

It added that new roads through green areas, such as Athanassa park in Nicosia, were not a solution and did not address the cause of the problem, rather moved congestion to another area.

Efforts to solve the problem over the years by staggered working hours and improving public transport did not produce the desired results, so the public had no choice but to continue to use private cars, the movement said.

On top of this, parking is a “daily pain”, exacerbated by the fact that families have more than one car.

These problems impact safety, the environment and the quality of life, the movement pointed out.

“It is high time to seek comprehensive, sustainable solutions that will reduce the dependency on private vehicles and will offer alternative forms of movement,” it added.

The movement has over the years made proposals, including smart traffic lights, better public transport with new routes and smaller buses, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, park&ride systems at key points, circular roads, flexible working hours in heavy traffic zones, decentralisation of public services, aerial tramways, an intercity metro, multi-storey carparks, regular intercity bus services, and rethinking social structures so that work and entertainment are close to the home.

The longer it takes to implement ideas, the worse the situation will become, the movement said.

On Wednesday, the Cyprus Greens said an announcement by the interior ministry that the road through Athalassa park in Nicosia would not be going ahead was positive but inadequate.

The party said ditching the plan was “good news” but did not solve the problem, since the provision in the budget was once again blocked by parliament, as last year, rendering the project inactive.

The main source of concern, the party said, was the junction promoted in the area of the Electricity Authority, at the entrance of Nicosia.

Last week, Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos rejected the proposed project, which would see Glafcos Clerides avenue in Aglandjia extended through the Athalassa national park.

Prountzos said the municipality had never proposed the project and had dismissed it right from the beginning, including the part providing for a road through Akademia park not far from Athalassa park.

He added that the municipality’s position was that green areas should be left untouched and that interventions through or near national parks should be made sparingly and not to facilitate through-traffic.