Μake us preferred on Google Thessaloniki could introduce an environmental traffic ring in its historic center to reduce the number of vehicles on city streets and ease congestion, under a proposal put forward by City Council President Spyros Vougias.
Speaking on the TV100 program “Dimotis Online,” hosted by Panagiotis Krinis, Vougias said restricting traffic in the central area could help relieve pressure on the city’s road network.
The proposed system would include specific exemptions for certain vehicles, as well as special arrangements for people who live permanently in the historic center.
Discussions on commissioning a study for the plan are expected to begin after the completion and handover of the Flyover, a major road infrastructure project in Thessaloniki. The city would first need to assess how traffic conditions have changed following the project’s delivery.
Three steps toward a traffic ring
Vougias outlined a three-stage process for introducing the measure:
- Completion of the Flyover: Once the project is delivered, work would begin on a study for the proposed environmental traffic ring.
- Pilot implementation: The restrictions would be tested for an initial period of three or six months.
- Public referendum: After the trial period, residents would be asked to vote on whether the system should become permanent.
Vougias said residents and visitors should first have the opportunity to experience how the traffic ring operates and assess its impact on their daily lives.
The final decision on whether to retain the restrictions permanently would then rest with the public, he said.
