Priority and junctions in Ioannina: Awaiting application of studies

On the occasion of a traffic accident at the junction of Kardamitsia, Philippas Filios, municipal councilor of the official opposition, brought to the municipal council the issue of priority at the junctions.

In other words, he asked the municipal authority about the course of the change of priority at the oldest junctions that exist in the city.

The responsible deputy mayor Kostas Gogos replied that the priorities will soon change according to the relevant study and the relevant signs will be placed.

The previous municipal authority has drawn up a study on priority regulation at junctions. Last year in July to be precise, and it concerns the following nodes:

• Dodonis – Velisariou and Agios Kosmas avenues
• Arch. Makariou – Ikkou – Patsimadis Avenue and Chr. Katsari
• George Ave. Births and Str. Voianou
• Arch. Makariou Avenue – Kenan Mesare – Voianou and 21st of February
• Savva Nikolatou – G. Peridi and Ag. Konstantinidis
• Ari Velouhiotis – Kyrillos Loukareos – Ephyra and Pandosia
• Souliou – Domboli – Ari Velouchioti – Nap. Zerva and Biti
• Stratigou Makrygianni – Ionos Dragoumi – Riga Feraiu – Filiki Etairia and Tsara – Filiu Ave.
• Samuel – Tepeleniou – Despotatou Epirou – Dositheou Filitou and M. Geografou

At three of these junctions, at Omirou Square, at Samouil Street and at Efyras Street, the priority is “mixed”, as defined by the signalling.

The permanent problem in Greece is that the “British priority” does not apply everywhere, i.e. for vehicles moving within the junction.

The specific traffic issue is determined by article 26 of the KOK, which in paragraphs 4 and 5 states that the priority is first determined by the signage and if it does not exist, then the priority belongs to “the one coming from the right”.

At the new junctions, priority is applied almost universally to traffic within the circular traffic, until the exit of the vehicle.

Of course, “traffic memory” plays an important role, and when the same does not apply everywhere, then there is the risk of an accident…