Letter to the Mayor

This is a letter from the residents of Takt-el-Kale, explaining very basic problems the area has. We’ll collect now the signatures of the neighbors and send them to the Mayor.

Nicosia, 17-11-2007

To the Mayor of Nicosia, Ms. Eleni Mavrou:

The neighbours of the streets of Thiseos, Agiou Ioannou, Antigonou, Pnytagorou, Iracleous, Othellou, Klearchou which belong to the residential area of Takt-el-Kale, Nicosia, would like to bring to your attention the following problems caused by traffic, among many others that exist in the neighborhood. The basic ones, the people have identified are due to the following factors:

Lack of security

-Very narrow streets (less than 3m wide, typical of all medieval cities) that cannot function due to the following problems.
-Excessive velocity of cars.
-Excessively large vehicles.
-Disrespectful and dangerous attitude of drivers (especially at night).
-Nonexisting pedestrian facilities (narrow insufficient side walks with no barriers to avoid illegal parking). Pedestrians (especially small children and older people) constantly threatened by traffic.

Circulation problems

-Unjustified traffic unrelated to the area crossing it while other more sufficient streets (wider, with no residents) exist around on the borders of the neighborhood.
-24 hour disturbance of the area caused by the unrelated traffic, who’s drivers ignore the existence of the residents.
-Non-existing drainage system for the rain water in the streets. Constant damage to the houses (newly restored and old ones) due to the water that gathers in the streets during rainy weather. The continuous movement of cars at high velocity endlessly splashes the buildings (up to a height of 1.5m on the facades), and the water and dirt enters in big quantities inside causing even more damage (a specific example of this is Thisseos str. which turns into a river every time it rains, and the traffic is continuous and uncontrolled).

Parking problems

-Lack of parking for residents.
-Cars unrelated to the area in search for parking.
-Streets blocked and not functional during the day and night due to inconsiderately and recklessly parked cars of unrelated traffic, which make it impossible for pedestrians to walk, and handicapped people to ‘exist’.

Due to the above, we demand and await from the municipality an urgent intervention to solve the problems. The pedestrianisation of streets, closing them to non-residential traffic, the correct infrastructure (drainage system etc.) and the solution to parking issues that will solve residents´ needs, is a ‘must’ not a luxury.

Too basic needs, aren't they...?