Speeding Violations in Sofia: 26,000 Reported in Just Two Weeks on “Slivnitsa” Blvd.

Photo: Dimitar Kyosemarliev, Dnes.bg

26 thousand violations were reported by the camera installed on “Slivnitsa” Blvd. in just two weeks. After 35 days of protests at the site where Annie and Yavor were swept away and killed, people say that what has been done so far is not enough.

“We have islands, guardrails, additional lighting, and the traffic lights also work at night. Concrete fences are to be installed in the rest of the boulevard in this section. We report serious speed violations. We are expecting the delivery of five more speed cameras,” Doncho Barbalov, Deputy Mayor of Sofia, told bTV.

He reported that speeding also occurred on “Todor Aleksandrov” Blvd., which is parallel to “Slivnitsa” Blvd.

“In one month, we have 42% of cars in one direction and 57% in the other direction of passing motor vehicles speeding. In one, these are 115,000 cars, and in the other, 150,000. On the Ring Road, we have unique records of 238 km/h with a limit of 80 km/h,” added Barbalov.

“The speeds are high. The traffic police must control the specified places,” said Tencho Tenev, former head of the “Traffic Police”-Sofia.

According to him, the forces of the Traffic Police cannot control all dangerous sections and added that the previous leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs rejected an increase in staff numbers by another 30.

“In the first place, until the stationary cameras arrive from the Metropolitan Municipality, which will give them to the police, there should be a permanent team of the Traffic Police working with a speed camera at the indicated place on both sides. This is not such a big problem and seeing as it works especially at night time. This is a matter of organization,” Tenev said.