Gouves residents were shocked to see a traffic light being installed at a lightly-used intersection, while the busy, and dangerous, main Gouves crossroads continues to be ignored by highway officials.

 “We’ve been waiting for years for a traffic light at the Gouves intersection, and this is what they give us? asked an irate citizen.

When queried about why a new signal was installed by the turn towards the Amirandes Hotel, which sees minimal crossings in the summer and virtually none in the winter, Gouves Mayor Yiorgos Nikolakakis seemed to be at a loss.

“The Gouves crossroads, the pedestrian bridge in Gournes and other places which we have repeatedly pointed out did not get any traffic signals because they are included in a study for additional work by the Northern Road Axis of Crete, and their first competition for bids was unsuccessful,” he said.

Later, when a spokesman for the Public Works Department was asked the same question, he said a traffic light had to be installed in that particular spot in Gouves because there have been many deadly accidents and that is the precise point where most drivers begin to accelerate resulting in a direct danger to pedestrians. Say, what?

Meanwhile, an anonymous local resident told this newspaper that an official of the Public Works department, who lives on the south side of the highway, had trouble crossing over to get to the beach, so he had a signal installed which, when a pedestrian presses the button, the light turns red, allowing him to cross. Now, that makes more sense!