By an overwhelming majority, the House of Representatives passed recently a new set of rules on out-of-court fines to pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicle drivers.

In particular, the penalties for pedestrians and cyclists are:

• A pedestrian violating traffic signs for pedestrians: Fine 50 euros.
• Pedestrian crossing the road to a point other than a pedestrian crossing where there is such a crossing: Fine 50 euros.
• A person using a bicycle with a width of more than 120 cm without a special license: Fine 85 euros.
• A person who, when using a bicycle, carries a passenger or passengers on the bicycle: Fine 50 euros.
• A person who uses a bicycle to the left of another cyclist or other cyclists on parallel paths: Fine 30 euros.

Strict out of court penalties for motor vehicle drivers:

• Driver who maneuvers his vehicle to prevent or threaten a cyclist: Fine 85 euros.
• A driver who refuses or neglects or fails to give priority to a cyclist: Fine 85 euros.
• A driver who parked his vehicle on a bicycle path: Fine 85 euros.

The new rules aim to give the Cyprus Police traffic department more power and authority in dealing with violations of the traffic code and protect everyone who is using the public road network.