In the Lombardy Region we are trying to avoid the Pedemontana toll on the Milan Meda. This was done on Tuesday afternoon in the regional council with the motion of the dems Gigi Ponti and Angelo Orsenigoalso supported by 5 Star Movement. Counterproposal from the majority: a comparison table among all the actors involved. In a nutshell, these are the stages of a discussion awaited especially by the territories affected by the future one section B2 of Pedemontana, whose construction sites would be close to starting. It is on this section of the infrastructure that the route will overlap with the Milano Meda, currently free, transforming it into a toll highway. Democrat Ponti defined the majority’s decision as “just a timid opening” by the center-right, underlining the need for a stronger stance.
MILAN MEDA TOLL: THE QUESTION AT INSTITUTIONAL TABLES
From a practical point of view, in fact, the commitment of the Lombardy Region at the moment could also lead to nothing, however it is undeniable that the issue has finally been resolved taxed in institutional offices, with several mayors and politicians from the B2 route already mobilized to contest the toll in their respective municipal councils. Among these, also the former regional councilor Andrea Montinow mayor of Lazzate, who firmly criticized the toll hypothesis, despite being a supporter of the Pedemontana project.
THE MOTION OF THE DEM PONTI AND ORSENIGO
Motion 164 by Ponti and Orsenigo asked the Fontana Council to “guarantee exemption or tariff concessions for sections B2 and C, provide a road plan to address the effects of construction sites as well as an adequate and preventive one strengthening of railway lines on the axis of the B2 section, thus facilitating a railway service that is already under pressure today”. All with a view to not burdening the Brianza people, especially those who travel for work, with daily and heavy costs.
M5S AGAINST: NO TO TOLL ON MILAN MEDA, NO TO PEDEMONTANA
Also in line with the requests, with a declaration of vote in favour, was Paola Pizzighini of the 5 Star Movement who declared: “Concerns remain alive regarding the criticality represented by the continuous increase in costs for the construction of this work, which is already the most expensive in Italy”. A theme, that of costs, has emerged in recent days also through a Milano Finanza report on the loss of Pedemontana and the haemorrhaging of funds linked to financial charges. We will continue to ask for constant involvement of the territory and in particular of the Mayors, which to date has been insufficient – continued Pizzighini – it is necessary to increase the participation of citizens in identifying the solutions that best respond to local needs and verify the possibility of recognizing greater resources for the Municipalities with regards to environmental compensation, the reclamation of land in particular from dioxins, and road compensation”.
THE COUNTER-PROPOSAL OF THE MAJORITY
On the discussion in the Region of the motion against the Milano Meda toll, Ponti commented: “The majority, rather than accepting our concrete proposals, instead preferred propose a table useful for examining toll discount and mitigation strategies and proposals to reduce the impact of traffic. Translated, a timid opening in the direction useful for understanding the needs of those who, every day for work, must move across the territory.”
On the other front, that of the majority in the Lombardy Region, the Northern League expressed its opinion Alessandro Corbetta: “We will set up a working group to examine all the possible strategies for discounting the toll on the B2 section of the Pedemontana, also studying methods on how to reduce the impact of local and inter-municipal traffic that could derive from the new motorway, both in the construction phase of the work and post-construction. We will also analyze the issue of local public transport which will certainly need to be strengthened.”
Regarding the Pedemontana toll on the Milan Meda, Corbetta added: “We well understand the concern of citizens, commuters and businesses about the increase in both costs and traffic within the municipalities, given that Pedemontana is part of one of the most urbanized areas in Europe. Everyone’s commitment is needed to think better about compensation works, about how to alleviate and streamline traffic and costs for commuters as much as possible. A work that we are certain will be useful not only for the B2 section but also for the subsequent C section, for the good of Brianza and Lombardy”.
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