Transport ministry wants €790 million for roadworks and infrastructure
The transport ministry’s budget for 2025 shows an increase of 19 per cent, as it is asking for €789,593,000 for a series of projects, including roadworks and infrastructure.
The budget was presented on Friday by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades who also referred to the increasing revenue from Limassol port, which so far has brought in €417 million.
Breaking down the budget, Vafeades said €554m was for projects by the ministry itself and €276m for projects of other ministries to be undertaken by the transport ministry.
The ministry’s projected revenue for 2025 was €373.2m.
Vafeades outlined the most important projects, starting with €88.6m for the Astromeritis-Evrychou motorway, €86.9m for the Paphos-Polis motorway and €77.6m for the Nicosia-Palechori motorway.
Construction works would require €143.9m for the Cyprus museum, €101m for ‘Limnes’ hospitality centre, €6.9m for the Ayia Napa fire station, €7.8m for the Cyprus blood centre, €12.9m for a press centre in view of Cyprus’ EU presidency in 2026 and €14.5m to upgrade ‘Spyros Kyprianou’ stadium.
Referring to projects of other ministries, Vafeades listed €17.7m for improvement works along the Larnaca-Dhekelia road, €3.8m to fence the Vasiliko energy centre, €22.3m for the Land and Surveys Department headquarters and €5m to turn the ‘Astra’ building into a family court.
Funded projects included maintenance works on bus stops at a cost of €43.6m and works to protect the coastal front of Oroklini €10.3m.
Vafeades said a number of projects would be signed over the next 12 months and would cost €175m, of which €114m were ministry projects and €61m projects of other ministries to be carried out by the transport ministry.
Calls for tenders will be made before the end of 2024 and in early 2025 for projects worth €696m, of which €391.5m are for ministry projects and €304.5 projects of other ministries.
Furthermore, €87.7m has been earmarked for public transport and €6.72m for viable mobility plans in Nicosia.
About €25m will be allocated to plans to withdraw old cars and for the purchase of new electric vehicles, as well as installing charging stations.
Vafeades said the purchase of electric vehicles has recorded a steep increase, with 1,107 registered this year till August. In 2020 only 78 were registered, 120 in 2021, 512 in 2022 and 995 in 2023.
A total of 1,697 vehicles were registered in 2024, of which 1,107 were cars, 569 electric scooters, 20 vans and one bus.
Previous plans to withdraw old cars were financed with €6m in 2024 and €4m each for the years 2022 and 2023.