City life becomes a drag

Poll shows even non-Athenian urbanites unhappy with their surroundings

The majority of Greeks living in large cities other than Athens are not satisfied with their quality of life because they are bothered by an array of problems, ranging from a lack of parking spaces to unemployment, according to a new poll.

The survey questioned residents of Ioannina, Volos, Larissa, Iraklion, Hania, Patras, Kavala, Serres, Thessaloniki and Piraeus and indicates that they are unhappy with their daily lives in these cities. Only Hania, Larissa and Ioannina could boast a majority of residents who were pleased with their cities.

Overall, 46 percent of these cities’ residents were pessimistic about the future because they feel that life in the urban centers is getting worse.

According to the collated results of the poll, 48 percent of respondents feel that traffic is the biggest problem in their city. This is followed by 15 percent who are troubled the most by unemployment. Another 15 percent are worried about cleanliness and 13 percent about pollution.

Nine in 10 city residents said that parking was “a very big problem.” Eight in 10 say that life is too expensive, while 71 percent believe that their city is heavily polluted.

Three-quarters of those questioned feel that there are not enough open spaces, such as parks and squares. However, most city residents were upbeat about the entertainment facilities and nightlife on offer. Eight in 10 said that their city gives them ample opportunities to have a good time. Larissa comes top of this category, with 91 percent of locals expressing satisfaction about the city’s nightlife.

The results of the survey, conducted by Public Issue on behalf of Kathimerini, were in line with the findings of a similar poll conducted in Athens last month.

That survey had suggested that two in three Athenians are unhappy with life in the capital and believe conditions have deteriorated over the past few years due to increased traffic congestion, inadequate garbage disposal and rising air pollution.