The sun is high, almost touching 30 degrees, it’s hot, the asphalt is burning and some people can be seen in the distance: they are tourists who, with their own suitcases loaded, prefer to move on foot rather than wait for a Taxi be free. It happens to Barimore specifically in Municipality 5, where there are many holidaymakers who, whatever the weather conditions, set out on foot to reach their final destinations along stretches of road that are not exactly suitable for pedestrians, among these, via Gabriele D ‘Annunzio, an artery that connects the airport and leads on one side towards the San Paolo district or central Bari, and on the other towards the heart of Municipality 5.
The complaint
Some “desperate” B&B managers are reporting what is happening because of a situation that not only jeopardizes the safety of many tourists, among them young people, but also families with children or elderly people, but furthermore, they highlight «it certainly doesn’t offer a nice postcard of this city, where there is a lot of talk about opening up to tourism, but the services are failing on all sides». From the means of transport inefficient and not always punctual at prices that are too high for taxis which, says one manager, “for a journey of less than five minutes they ask for almost fifty euros”. So, many arm themselves with patience and set off with their suitcases, often navigating the obstacles “reserved” for pedestrians.
In particular, the condition of Via Gabriele D’Annunzio is particularly noteworthy: on one side the cars whizzing by, often regardless of the limits, on the other the poorly lit road, both in the airport area and going beyond the passage to level (direction Palese center) where in addition to there being no lane dedicated to pedestrians, who instead cross that road every day, there is also a bridge with a path reserved for pedestrians so narrow that it forces those walking with suitcases or strollers , having to pass on the section dedicated to cars in an isolated area where, especially in the evening and night hours, away from the “prying” eyes of cameras or controls, a resident sees “anything happens”. «We are desperate – said Elisa (fictitious name because she prefers to remain anonymous), one of the B&B managers in the area – we get ten on the reviews, but two and a half for the services because in fact, services do not exist. Many tourists come on foot due to the inefficient means of transport, but also and above all in the evening hours, the most dangerous hours, because from 11.30pm onwards there are no means of transport, in particular taxis. If you find one, sporadically, the average request is fifty euros even for a very short distance. It’s a shame, we are shocked and saddened by our guests forced to take a very dangerous road, often in the dark. Crazy things happen here, we are abandoned to ourselves”, he added.
B&B managers and private initiatives
In an attempt to overcome the problem, many managers have started a shuttle service, but now that service has been banned. «The policemen prohibited it. So we have to wake up at 2 am, go and pick up guests due to lack of services that should be guaranteed and we can’t even ask for a five euro refund? Tourists are also desperate and constantly complaining. It’s a problem that already existed last year, but this year, with the season starting early, we are overflowing and it’s exaggerated. It’s not good anymore. They talk a lot about Bari as a tourist city, but where? I would really like to understand why the services are missing. Just think about the fact that if a tourist wants to have dinner at 6pm he can’t because the pubs are closed, they open at 7.30pm. Not to mention the means of transport, a shame”, she concluded.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – SEPA
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Read the full article at
Puglia Newspaper
