Limassol traffic threatens city’s economic growth, warns business body

Limassol’s worsening traffic problem is no longer just a source of daily frustration, but a threat to the city’s growth, business confidence and ability to retain major companies, the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Evel) has warned. This expression of concern came from chamber president Andreas Tsouloftas, who told Entrepreneurial Limassol, Evel’s periodical, that the issue had now moved well beyond inconvenience. Speaking during a broad meeting at Limassol municipal hall, held under Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades and attended by mayors, community leaders and other competent bodies, Tsouloftas said the city could not afford to remain stuck in years of discussions while long-delayed projects stayed on paper. For Limassol, he said, the stakes are now economic. The city remains the engine of the Cypriot economy, contributing almost 50 per cent of the country’s GDP, while also hosting a large part of Cyprus’ shipping, property, professional services and technology sectors. However, as the city has continued to expand, its road network has failed to keep pace. Tsouloftas said this is now affecting residents’ quality of life, the daily operation of businesses and the confidence of companies that have chosen Limassol as their base. He also warned that some large high-tech companies are even considering whether they can continue operating in Cyprus because of the traffic problem. The concern is particularly serious at a time when Cyprus is trying to strengthen its position as a regional technology hub. According to a recent TechIsland study, the technology sector directly contributed 16.2 per cent of GDP in 2025, or €5.9 billion, while its wider economic impact reached €11.9 billion. Tsouloftas said “Limassol could no longer be treated as a city that can simply wait.” “We cannot see projects being carried out in all the provinces except Limassol. The 2026 budget for Limassol includes essentially nothing and this is regrettable,” he said. He added that the issue cannot be handled by the Transport Ministry alone, as many of the projects are also linked to urban planning and broader public infrastructure. For this reason, he said the Finance and Interior ministries must also be involved, so that studies and procedures that have been discussed for years can finally move forward. At the centre of the debate is the northern bypass, a project seen by local authorities and business groups as essential to easing congestion across the district. Tsouloftas said the project should have started five years ago, warning that further delays would carry a real cost for the city. “Limassol cannot spend another one, two or three years in this situation. The problem is serious. We will lose businesses, while people’s trust in Limassol is also being lost,” he said. Vafeades, who agreed with the chamber’s concerns, said the next step is to prioritise the proposed projects and decide which measures can be implemented first. Although the northern bypass remains the main long-term intervention, the minister said smaller projects could also be pushed ahead more quickly to offer some immediate relief. He also noted that around 10,000 new cars are registered in Limassol every year, making continuous upgrades to the road network unavoidable. The northern bypass has for years been presented as one of the most important projects for diverting traffic from overloaded urban roads and creating an alternative corridor north of the existing motorway. Recent reports have put its cost at up to €200 million, with the route expected to link eastern areas, including Amathus and Germasogeia, with western municipalities such as Kourion and Ypsonas. However, officials also made clear that larger projects must be supported by smaller, targeted interventions if the city is to see relief in the shorter term. Limassol’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan already includes measures such as bus lanes, upgraded bus stops, cycling infrastructure, park-and-ride facilities and better pedestrian links, all aimed at reducing dependence on private cars. During the meeting, Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis said the city’s priorities include the section of the northern bypass involving Evagoras Lanitis Avenue, from 1st April Avenue to Yiannis Kranidiotis Avenue. He also referred to the need to implement commitments already made by the President of the Republic, improve access to the Nicosia-Paphos motorway through Kostis Palamas and Ellis Lampeti streets, move ahead with SUMP projects and connect Franklin Roosevelt Avenue with the coastal road. For the western part of the district, Kourion mayor Pantelis Georgiou said Elias Kannaourou Avenue is particularly important, as it would create another route into Limassol. He also pointed to the access road to Vati, which would serve the suburban and industrial areas of western Limassol, as well as other northern bypass-related works, including a new motorway roundabout. Given the importance and cost of the northern bypass, Georgiou said the project should be fully financed by the state. In the east, Amathus mayor Kyriacos Xydias said priorities include the vertical road from the German Medical Institute and Oncology Centre to the coastal road near Pizza Hut, known as the Viki area vertical road. He also referred to the connection of Ayios Athanasios Avenue with the seafront and the northern bypass section within the boundaries of Amathus, from the Germasogeia bypass junction to Armenias Street in Ayios Athanasios. Parekklisia community leader Menelaos Menelaou raised the need to widen the road towards Pyrgos, create a roundabout where the Parekklisia road connects with the motorway, and move forward with the regulatory plan for the road from the community council building to the northern exit towards Mazokambos. He also asked for a third lane from the motorway bridge to the coastal road. Pyrgos mayor Neoklis Christophorou requested two new motorway exits, one near the Parklane Hotel and another after Monte Caputo. Local authorities are now expected to work with the Public Works Department on a final list of projects, ranked according to priority. A new broad meeting is expected to follow, while a separate meeting on the northern bypass will be held before the end of June with all public bodies involved. Vafeades said he believes three sections of the northern bypass could begin within 2026, provided the necessary procedures move ahead.