Travelers attempting to journey from Athens to Thessaloniki are encountering unprecedented difficulties on the eve of Christmas. Agricultural blockades near Livadia have rendered both the new and old national roads unusable, compelling drivers to navigate treacherous dirt roads. This situation has resulted in severe delays, with some reporting journeys taking up to 13 hours, and has sparked widespread concern regarding road safety and infrastructure.
Chaos and Delays on Christmas Eve
As of Tuesday morning, 11:30 AM, footage from skai.gr showed drivers being forced onto unpaved, narrow roads, creating hazardous conditions. The Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) has implemented measures to ensure driver safety amidst the blockades, but the alternative routes are proving to be inadequate for the volume and type of traffic.
Inadequate Detour Infrastructure Raises Safety Concerns
A reader, who recently undertook the Athens-Komotini-Athens route, shared a harrowing account with SKAI via email, detailing the “road trip” experience. Despite anticipating delays, the reality far exceeded expectations, with the outbound journey taking 10 hours and the return trip a staggering 13 hours. The reader highlighted several critical issues with the bypass roads:
- Unsuitable Road Conditions: The designated detour roads are excessively narrow and feature inadequate road surfaces, making them dangerous for the simultaneous passage of heavy trucks (25-30 tons) and passenger vehicles, especially given that some roads are not designed for vehicles exceeding 3.5 tons.
- Poor Signage: The makeshift signage directing drivers to the detours is often confusing, making it easy for those unfamiliar with the area to get lost.
- Traffic Congestion in Residential Areas: Detours often lead through residential areas, causing severe traffic jams. For instance, a 1.5 km bottleneck was reported in Aliartos towards Thessaloniki, effectively bisecting villages and making pedestrian crossings nearly impossible, particularly at night.
- Excessive Detour Length: Many bypasses are unnecessarily long, creating a sense of a tedious tour rather than a practical detour.
- Risk of Accidents: The combination of poor road conditions and increased traffic significantly elevates the risk of serious accidents.
- Faded Road Markings: Road markings on both the bypasses and major highways like E75 and Egnatia Odos are severely faded, becoming almost invisible at dusk and especially during rain, further compromising safety.
- Ineffective Blockades: In some instances, the tractors meant to block the roads are parked on the shoulders, failing to prevent passage and creating a false sense of accessibility for drivers.
- Lack of Facilities: Provincial roads lack essential facilities such as service areas, parking, and restrooms, forcing drivers and passengers to use outdoor spaces, which is particularly dangerous at night.
- Limited Visibility of Protesters: From the detours, the agricultural blockades and the protesters themselves are often not visible, leading drivers to experience only the hardship of the detours without understanding the cause.
The reader concluded by noting that these detours reveal the poor state of national roads, including motorways, which are riddled with potholes. These conditions force trucks into the left lane to avoid damage, while farmers, in their struggle, inadvertently close off roads, exacerbating the problem for travelers.
Public Transport Schedule During Holidays
In related news, public transport services will operate on a Sunday and holiday schedule on December 25 and 26, 2025, as well as on January 1 and 6, 2026. Store and supermarket opening hours for Christmas Eve have also been announced, with December 25 and 26 being public holidays.
This situation underscores the urgent need for improved road infrastructure and better management of public protests to ensure the safety and smooth travel of citizens, especially during peak holiday seasons.
Source: skai.gr
