The FIAB (Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation) sent a letter today to Matteo Salvini, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, to reiterate how 30 km/h cities represent a model of sustainable mobility and effective road safety and to request a meeting and the opening of a discussion table on the subject.
Below is the press release and below is the letter in its entirety.
City 30 km/h: a model of sustainable mobility and effective road safety
The establishment of the Cities 30 is the most innovative and effective measure for combating accidents on urban roads, as it combines a drastic reduction in road carnage, integration between the different transport modal compositions, compliance with climate commitments, the improvement of livability, as well as a significant flow of traffic". This was reiterated by Legambiente, FIAB-Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation, Asvis, Kyoto Club, Vivinstrada, ANCMA, Salvaiciclisti, Michele Scarponi Foundation, AMODO, who in a letter written and sent today to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT), Matteo Salvini, ask for a meeting with the Dicastery and the opening of a discussion table on the subject, promoting a model that combines sustainable mobility and road safety. Moreover, the Città 30 model has already been implemented in various European cities.
Also in Italy after Olbia and Cesena, also Bergamo, Turin, Bologna and only lastly Milan, are starting paths to become Cities 30, aware that - in accordance with the requirements of the National Road Safety Plan 2030 (PNSS) - it is necessary to find the resources to planning interventions, above all structural and not just for signage, as well as monitoring the results. Let us not forget, the associations add, that "the good of life put at risk every day on urban roads can only be safeguarded through new, more rapid and effective policies, capable of changing cities, roads, the mobility system, styles of life and driving, to stop climate crisis and road carnage – Associations
In fact, with an average of 561 injured and 7,9 victims every day, 1 every 3 hours, especially in urban areas, road accidents are currently the leading cause of death for young people in Italy, as well as being the leading cause of death for worker on the move, with a total social cost of 16,4 billion euros, equal to 0,9% of national GDP, according to ACI-ISTAT 2021 data. Moderating speed as envisaged by the Cities 30 ― conclude the associations ― does not represent a limit to the free and rapid movement of people and goods, since currently, as everyone knows, the average speed within cities is 29,4 km/h (according to the UnipolSai Observatory on driving habits), going down to 7-8 km/h in peak hours (according to the latest Confcommercio transport white paper). The private car is not the fastest and most reliable means of transport in urban centres, only with intermodality between the various means of transport, such as urban public transport, sharing and active mobility, will it be possible to obtain a reduction in the motorisation rate of which the Italy holds European primacy with relative traffic congestion, difficulty in moving and increase in pollutants, often subject to infringement procedures by Europe – Associations
FULL LETTER TO MATTEO SALVINI
