Naples — Concern is growing among non-scheduled public transport workers following Mayor Gaetano Manfredi's recent comments regarding particulate matter levels in the Piazza Garibaldi area. According to the Comitato Tassisti di Base (Base Taxi Drivers Committee), the mayor's comments confirm that pollution in the city center has now reached alarming levels, despite the measures adopted in recent months.
Anti-smog ordinance: bans on paper, traffic unchanged
At the center of the criticism is Executive Order No. 784 of November 24, 2025, issued by the City of Naples in implementation of Council Resolution No. 193/2020 on air quality. The measure establishes, until March 31, 2026, a traffic ban throughout the city, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 18:30 p.m., for:
Euro 0 and Euro 1 cars and commercial vehicles;
diesel cars and diesel commercial vehicles up to Euro 5 (categories N1, N2, N3);
motorcycles and mopeds up to Euro 2.
According to taxi drivers, however, the measure has not produced tangible effects: "Traffic does not appear to have significantly decreased," the Committee emphasizes, denouncing what it considers insufficient enforcement and weak controls.
Workers exposed 24 hours a day
The document highlights how taxi drivers are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, spending their entire working day on the road. Hence the call for urgent action "to protect the health of workers and all citizens," in an urban context where smog continues to exceed safety limits.
The requests: Limited traffic zone and drastic reduction of cars
The Committee asks the Municipality to take "decisive and immediate" action based on three guidelines:
a truly effective and implemented traffic plan;
the reactivation of the ZTLs in the historic center;
structural measures to significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
For years, the trade representatives recall, the Departments of Transport and Legal Affairs have been urged to adopt a comprehensive plan capable of halving traffic flow in the historic center. "Despite repeated requests and demonstrations," the Committee states, "no concrete measures have been implemented."
«Immediate action can no longer be postponed»
In light of the smog alarm acknowledged by the mayor himself, taxi drivers reiterate that further delays are no longer acceptable. The current ordinance, they argue, must be accompanied by effective controls and urban policies, otherwise it risks remaining a formal measure incapable of impacting air quality and public health.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's worrying to see that the mayor's words don't seem to be having any effect on traffic. I don't understand why more can't be done to reduce pollution in the Piazza Garibaldi area, and taxi drivers deserve greater attention.