Naples – An urgent appeal to Italian and European institutions to stop what commuters have been calling "the collapse of the Circumvesuviana" for years. This is the content of the open letter titled "Do it quickly!", sent by representatives of the commuter committees of EAV's Vesuvian lines to the European Commission, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Attorney General's Office of the Court of Auditors, the Prefect of Naples, the President of the Campania Region, and the Regional Councilor for Transport.
The document was signed by Enzo Ciniglio, spokesperson for the Facebook group "No to the Cut to Circumvesuviana Trains"; Salvatore Ferraro, spokesperson for the social media group "Circumvesuviana-Eav"; Marcello Fabbrocini, president of the Cifariello-Ottaviano civic committee; and Salvatore Alaia, president of the Sperone civic committee E(a)vitiamolo.
The commuters' appeal
In the text, the committees call for immediate intervention to save the Vesuvian railway network and protect, they emphasize, "the rights enshrined in the Constitution and the financial resources of the community."
According to the signatories, the latest incidents reported along EAV lines confirm a long-standing situation: constant train breakdowns, cancelled services, and an increasingly fragile service for thousands of users forced to deal with inconvenience and uncertainty every day.
Failures, suppressions and accusations against management
In the letter, commuter representatives point the finger at management in recent years. They openly describe the railway as a "nightmare" and maintain that the system has progressively deteriorated, despite the significant resources invested.
From 2015 to today, the committees note, resources exceeding one billion euros have been managed for the Vesuvian lines alone, including European, national, and regional funds. This massive investment, according to the signatories, has not translated into a real improvement in service. Contracts and construction sites are also under scrutiny, cited as frequently delayed, as is the delivery of new trains.
Fear for Easter and tourism
The committees also raise the alarm for the coming weeks. With Easter fast approaching and the arrival of the first significant wave of tourists, the signatories believe any failure to guarantee adequate rail service could also lead to public order problems.
This concern is linked to the strategic role of the Circumvesuviana, an essential infrastructure not only for commuters but also for connections to high-density tourist areas in the Vesuvian area and along the coast.
“Silences, vague promises and insults”
In the harshest part of the letter, the committee representatives denounce their relationship with EAV management, accusing them of responding to commuters' protests with "silence, vague promises, lies, and insults."
These harsh words reveal a climate of intense tension between organized users and the transport company, in a context that has for years fueled protests, complaints, and requests for intervention from the areas served by the Vesuvian network.
It seems to me that the situation is very serious but also complicated. Those responsible have not given clear answers. Trains are often cancelled, leaving people without access to their luggage and information. Construction sites are progressing slowly, contracts are delayed, and the funds do not appear to have been well spent. We hope that Europe or the Region will intervene, without creating panic, just to put the network back in order.