The Traffic Ring – Daktylios – returns to central Athens after its suspension in the summer months. The traffic restrictions will go into effect again on October 25, Infrastructure & Transport Minister Costas Karamanlis announced on Friday. He added that electric cars will be exempted from the restrictions and will be allowed into the center of the city at any day, regardless of the last number of their license plates.
Speaking to Real FM, Karamanlis called the traffic ring which is suspended during the summer months, a “clean ring”.
He added that the only exception to allowing cars based on odd/even license plates will be electric cars.
There will be no more exceptions, he stressed noting, “Up to now, there are too many cars that are exempted from the ring” and allowed to circulate. This will end. The only cars to be exempted will be electric cars, that’s why we have named it ‘clean ring’.”
The system that allows vehicles in central Athens on specific days based on odd or even license plates was introduced several years ago with the aim to curb pollution and traffic congestion in the Greek capital.
The minister said also that the ministry was reviewing the ring’s geographical limits, possibly to expand them as well the hours allowing deliveries to stores downtown.
As more and more commuters use their own cars in order to avoid crowding in public transport means and the risk of contracting Covid-19, traffic in downtown Athens has turned into a nightmare in the last weeks, throughout the day.
PS worth noting that exempting electric cars is another measure of the conservative government to create new division among the society.