Athenians fleeing capital ahead of lockdown

Friday’s heavy traffic continued well into evening on many key thoroughfares in and around Attica, the Traffic Police told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, adding that more than 40,000 cars left the Greek capital before the three-week lockdown measures kick in at 6 a.m. on Saturday.

According to the Traffic Police, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, a total of 43,996 vehicles left through the Athens-Corinth and the Athens-Lamia national highway toll stations.

Of these, 22,780 cars headed south in the direction of Corinth and the Peloponnese, and 21,216 went north towards Lamia.

Greek police sources told the ANA-MPA that the Traffic Police is out in force and that there is heavy congestion on Kifissos Avenue, as well as on Patission and Vassilissis Sofias in the city center.