News also for traffic assistants who will have greater sanctioning powers in parking bans. But let’s go step by step. The news is hanging on the vote of the conversion of the Dl simplifications into law that the Chamber of Deputies will make in the coming days, confirming the text approved by the Senate last Friday, but the legislative path seems all downhill. Many of the proposals originated from the Italian municipalities, committed to tackling the new mobility at the time of the pandemic, also with respect to “soft mobility”, with historical measures to protect cyclists and pedestrians.
“A real mini-reform of the highway code that goes to protect the weakest users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Since the bills are still firm in the Commission in the Chamber, we take advantage of the Simplification Decree. A reform aimed at greater safety in the cities, even if some aspects also seem to follow cash rather than safety logic. We expected – says Giordano Biserni president of ASAPS – but at least the suspension of the driving license on the first violation for those who use the mobile phone while driving, always invoked but of which track and other news regarding changes to some critical issues on road homicide and road injuries, on the “protected” use of breathalysers for a more effective fight against alcohol and finally serious measures to the rampant fight against drug use have been completely lost The corrective measures to the freight transport regulations are also completely absent, a link that shows more and more aspects of weak skill in contrasting abuses of driving and rest times with the silent involvement of some companies “.
In any case, the package to protect cyclists also includes the introduction of the “urban cycle road” single carriageway, with paved platforms and sidewalks, with a speed limit not exceeding 30 km / h, defined by special vertical and horizontal signs, with priority for bicycles. And again the novelty of “two-way cycle” on city roads where the maximum speed limit is less than or equal to 30 km / h or on part of a restricted traffic area, bicycles can also circulate in the opposite direction to the one way of all other vehicles, along the cycle lane for two-way cycle on the road itself. The option can be provided regardless of the width of the carriageway, the presence and position of vehicle parking areas and the mass of vehicles authorized to transit.
The “bike-bus lanes” provided that there are no tramway tracks at level and on condition that, except for specific situations, the module of the roads is not less than 4.30 m.
And then the “school areas” in the cities, near which there are buildings used for school use, where particular protection of pedestrians and the environment is guaranteed, delimited along the access roads by the appropriate start and end signs. Here the circulation, parking or stopping of all or some categories of vehicles will be limited or excluded, at times and in the manner defined by order of the mayor. The traffic, parking or stopping bans do not apply to school buses, buses intended for the transport of pupils attending schools, as well as to holders of badge for the disabled. Heavy penalties for those who violate the prohibitions in the “school area” with administrative sanctions ranging from 164 to 664 euros and in case of reiteration in the two-year period, suspension of the driving license from 15 to 30 days.
Then hard line towards the wild stop in front of the bins waste or preventing street cleaning. Municipal and municipal employees identified by the mayor may also sanction with the removal of vehicles. For parking and illegal stopping on preferential lanes, new powers have also been introduced to the inspection staff of companies operating public transport of persons, with the functions of prevention and verification in the field of circulation, stopping and parking on the lanes and roads where the vehicles used transit in line service. News also for the timing of revisions due to the “Covid-19” emergency. Vehicles whose inspection expired by last July 31st will have time until October 31st, while the circulation of vehicles to be subjected to the same checks by September 30th 2020 is authorized until December 31st 2020 as well as the circulation of vehicles until February 28th 2021. to be subjected to the same checks by 31 December 2020. In limited traffic areas, cameras can sanction traffic bans, entering, inside and out, as well as checking the length of stay inside the ZTL.
And there are already plans for speed cameras: in Milan, the councilor for Mobility plans to put them “in those urban streets where the risk is the investment of the pedestrian, and that is, where there are straight and wide roads that facilitate speed, but there are schools, homes, shops, services for which there are pedestrian crossings at risk for pedestrians “. The revolution has just begun.
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