First the 10 thousand fines in two months, then the controversies that spread throughout Italy and the complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court of Auditors. And now the news that thousands of motorists dreamed of receiving: «We won the first appeal against the Fontaneto road speed camera» announces Mario Gatto, president of Globoconsumatori, an association that has been fighting for weeks against the plant on the border between Chieri and Santena. «And it’s just the beginning: we have presented almost 500, all of whom could now be accepted». And the Municipality could also decide to turn off or move the velox that has caused discussion in half of Italy.
Yet, in Strada Fontaneto 131, a detection system has existed since 2010. Since 10 February, however, the old device has been replaced by a more sophisticated and above all “doubled” one: unlike the previous one, it detects and fines both directions of gear.
This is why, in the space of three months, velox produced 10 thousand fines, of which approximately 60% in the direction that was not previously controlled. And someone collected dozens of them before receiving the first reports: «A lady from Chierese even reached 52» recalls Gatto.
At that point, national television programs and industry associations, such as AltVelox, became active: the group, which fights for the protection of motorists at a national level, presented a complaint against the Chieri plant. Instead, Globoconsumatori gathered hundreds of “velox victims” and presented a flurry of appeals to the justice of the peace in Turin. Who on Thursday expressed his opinion on the first of almost 500 cases, agreeing with the fined person and accepting at least one of the fifteen critical issues reported by the association: «As soon as he files the sentence, we will read which one he accepted – concludes Gatto – The main point is the order with which, a month ago, the Cassation established that velox vehicles must be approved and not just authorized».
