First day for the pedestrian area of Piazza Federico di Svevia and the new road plan of the adjacent streets Ursino Castlewhich as stated in the note issued by the Municipality of Catania on the third Sunday of June it presented itself to tourists free from the belt of parked or passing cars.
The area was patrolled by the Municipal Police which prevented cars from accessing the area closed to traffic and parking. In the morning, some cars that had remained parked inside the pedestrian area were removed with the tow truck.
To make it easier to use the vast pedestrian area of Piazza Federico di Svevia, two zones have been established: one with a ban on traffic and parking 24 hours a day and another with a closure to traffic limited to the evening hours and night on weekdays, for the whole day only on holidays and Sundays.
The Municipal Administration has reserved approximately 400 parking spaces in the surrounding areas (via Zurria, piazza Borsellino, via Plebiscito, piazza Vaccarini and the area made available by the Port Authority with 145 additional spaces).
Furthermore, the Amts will guarantee a shuttle bus in the evening hours to connect the R1 car park in via Plebiscito and the neighboring Piazza Vaccarini (79 stalls) with Piazza Federico di Svevia.
Furthermore, by order of the municipal council, the activation of telematic access control with cameras will take place with the installation of eight electronic gates, with the actual imposition of sanctions with the aid of videos, however, only starting from 16 July ; in this first month of pre-exercise the presence of the municipal police will be constant.
In the temporary pedestrian area, i.e. active only at night, there are also around a hundred parking stalls: from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am on weekdays and 0-24 on public holidays, parking stalls reserved for residents; from 7:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, hourly parking is established limited to 30 minutes (parking disc) for all vehicles with the exception of the vehicles of residents who display the pass.
The Azienda Metropolitana Trasporti e Sosta Catania SpA is entrusted with the service of issuing entry passes within the areas to those entitled, which will take place exclusively through an online procedure on a web platform.
The inspection by Mayor Trantino
Mayor Enrico Trantino was present and went near Castello Ursino this morning to verify the state of the places by discussing with various residents and traders who asked the mayor about the problems and critical issues linked above all to the uncontrolled parking of cars.
“It’s obvious to everyone – said the mayor – that pedestrianization is an operation of capital importance to enhance our history for a new city economy based on the value of the art and beauty of our cultural history, which will have a gestation period that will help us understand how to find the most suitable, as already happened in via Garibaldi, piazza Mazzini and piazza San Francesco D’Assisi”.
“I want to remind everyone – added Trantino – that until yesterday in this symbol of our history and identity, wild parking and disregard for every rule of safe driving reigned supreme.
“The pedestrianization of Piazza Federico di Svevia must be seen as an added value for the city, for those who live there and for the operators and I am sure that, as happened in all pedestrian areas, in the end there is always a positive return ” concluded the mayor.
