Tension rises around the ZTL closure plan adopted by Municipality of Verona in view of its implementation, scheduled for the summer in its first part. Fixed for tomorrow afternoon at 2pm, in Piazza Sant’Anastasia, a protest demonstration. Since its first presentations, both the opposition political parties and the trade association have criticized it Historic Center Merchants Corporation. Favorable instead Legambiente.
Plan
The ZTL closure plan goes hand in hand with that of reorganization of the parking. This is a revision of the plan that dates back to 1999, in line with what has already been indicated in the PUMS (Urban Sustainable Mobility Plan). Among the main measures: Piazza Erbe, via Pellicciai, piazzetta Sgarzerie and the square of Castel San Pietro will become pedestrian areas.
The time windows of free access to the ZTL in the center will be eliminatedand replaced by three permits per month for residents in the Municipality of Verona. For the parking of cars in the districts of Borgo Trento, Valdonega and Ponte Crencano in autumn, instead of the parking disc, there will be more paid and yellow-blue zones for residents.
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Pedestrianization and ZTL
This summer, after the schools close, we begin with pedestrianization of Piazza Erbe, via Pellicciai, via Rosa, Corte Sgarzerie, the square of Castel San Pietro and the small square in front of the funicular (in via Fontanelle S. Stefano). In the next few years, following the closure of the 24-hour restricted traffic zone and the implementation of parking reserved for residents, it will be the turn of Piazza Duomo and Piazza Sant’Anastasia, and – when the age-old problem with the Corrubbio car park is resolved – also Piazza San Zeno.
Always this summer there will also be the elimination of the opening hours of the restricted traffic zone. However, residents in the Municipality of Verona will be able to activate transit in the ZTL three times a month via a dedicated portal. No change, however, for commercial vehicles in possession of authorization.
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The criticisms
In addition to the opposition sides in the city council, both Tosianiis Northern League membersto raise a loud voice against the plan it is above all the Historic Center Merchants Corporation of Verona with its president Tiziano Meglioranzi.
For tomorrow, Saturday 25 February, a demonstration has been called at 2pm in Piazza Santa Anastasiawith a committee of residents, businesses and citizens of Verona.
«Hands off the historic center» is the message of the committee and the Corporation. «For an attractive centre, with an active and not passive presence, we shout stop to the 24-hour closure of the ZTL».
«Residents do not want to give up their right to socialize, in their home, with relatives and friends and their quality of life. Merchants need to allow customers access to their shops in order to survive. Young people, and all citizens, must be able to experience the historic center and enjoy it” writes the committee led by Better. «Without accessibility, the historic center is emptied of inhabitants and many commercial establishments close. So the city no longer exists.”
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Also Forza Italia announced its participation in tomorrow’s demonstration. «In these two years we are the only ones in the city council to have presented motions and institutional documents in favor of economic and commercial activities and against the less than lucid choices of the Tommasi administration» declares Flavio Tosiformer mayor of Verona, Forza Italia deputy and regional coordinator of the party.
Skepticism also from Confcommercio Verona. Regarding the concept of Ztl, «our position – underlines the president Paolo Arena – And historically critical because it risks creating a isolation of the central areas; but we favorably evaluate any measure that guarantees flexibility, i.e. the granting of a certain number of passages during the week to non-residents”.
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The motivations of the Administration
«A complex plan that consists of several measures, for one overall vision of the city and its neighborhoods which integrates with the realization of trolleybusthe creation of 25 km of new cycle paths and of new Zones 30in favor of one sustainable urban mobility» he explained at the presentation of the parking plan the Mobility Councilor Tommaso Ferrari.
«The objective of the various measures is to make the city and its neighborhoods more livable and more people-friendlywhere residents and businesses coexist together in respect for different needs. The plan includes numerous interventions, some of which will start in the summer after the closure of schools, others after the necessary administrative steps, for a gradual process that will be fully operational in 2026″ added Ferrari.
Legambiente Verona is also in favor
The parking and closure plan of the ZTL, note Legambiente Verona “It is generating fears in part of the citizens and those who work in the historic center, caused by a change in habits that will inevitably occur following the measures to limit traffic.”
«Let’s remember, however, that fewer cars means better quality of life and means proposing pedestrian areas dedicated to slow mobility that encourage commerce in the historic center. Verona is a city that suffers from a high degree of air pollution and noise pollution and which has been stuck in environmental policies for almost two decades, if we consider that the parking plan itself had not been updated since 1999″ continue from Legambiente.
«According to data from Ecosistema Urbano 2023 the city is among the most lacking in pedestrian areas nationwidewhile in the last year its air quality had actually worsened on all parameters (PM10, PM2.5, Ozone) and seen the motorization rate increase (from 63 to 66 cars per 100 inhabitants)” continue from Legambiente Verona .
According to the association, the choices to close the center «are primarily aimed at protecting the health of all citizens, residents and workers. But they will also favor economic and commercial activities if there is the ability to use this change to adapt their offer to the new situation. Let’s think about the pedestrianization of past years, from Via Stella, to Via Roma, from Corso Portoni Borsari to Santa Anastasia, or even earlier from the images of a Piazza Bra clearing for cars. Just as a gradual cultural change was necessary for the first introduction of the ZTL and for the previous pedestrianisations, this time too it will take time to get used to the new closures”.
«The Parking Plan is a piece of the Urban Sustainable Mobility Plan, which requires a synergy of actions to create a real alternative to the use of private cars». Declares the president of Legambiente Verona Chiara Martinelli. «This is why, by welcoming these actions, We remind you that it is essential to immediately think about strengthening local public transport, still lacking in terms of supply and which will not be completed with the creation of the trolleybus alone. It is necessary to aim at least at the objectives of the plan, which were already lacking in the acquisition phase of the plan, pursuing for example the restoration of disused railway stations to create a surface metropolitan system, making the parking exchanges work by activating the shuttles between the center and the peripheral areas, putting peripheral neighborhoods at the center by promoting widespread cycling and local public transport in line with European standards”.
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