Nicosia, Cyprus. Only 20 per cent of approximately 190,000 attempts to serve out-of-court traffic camera fines have been successful, lawmakers heard on Wednesday. Authorities defended the current enforcement process as draft legislation to allow electronic service of fines remains under review.
Committee examines enforcement process
The House legal affairs committee reviewed the authorities’ practice of serving outstanding fines through the so-called “Photo Radar List” at police stations and crossing points.
The review took place amid concerns over how motorists are notified and whether some drivers may be unaware of fines because of incorrect address details.
Electronic service legislation under review
Officials from the road transport department said draft legislation allowing fines to be served by SMS and email has completed public consultation.
They said the draft has been with the Law Office for legal vetting since February 4.
Lawmakers seek more information
Committee members requested further information on the number of outstanding fines, the procedures followed when notices are served and the progress of the proposed legislation.
Mps also raised concerns about motorists who may never have received notification because of incorrect addresses and asked whether they could later face court proceedings or accumulated penalties through no fault of their own.
Questions over checks at crossing points and airports
Lawmakers also questioned reports that some motorists had been informed of outstanding fines while passing through crossing points or airports.
They said this raised broader concerns over whether the current enforcement process fully complies with existing legislation.
Authorities clarify where fines are served
Justice ministry officials said the “Photo Radar List” is not used at airports or ports and stressed that outstanding fines are served at police stations.
They added that the document-checking system used at airports is not linked to the outstanding fines database, meaning motorists are not identified through passport or identity checks.
Police response
Police representative Harris Evripidou said fines are served at police stations, crossing points and other locations where police are authorised to carry out checks.
He confirmed that information on outstanding fines does not appear during routine identity checks at airports and said that, if motorists had been informed of outstanding fines during passport control as alleged, “it was wrong”.
Evripidou added that only fines for which previous attempts at service by a private process server had failed are included in the current enforcement process.
