Naples – A city paralyzed by construction sites, strangled by private cars, and devoid of solutions for those who provide non-scheduled public transportation. This is the formal complaint filed by the Comitato Tassisti di Base (Base Taxi Drivers Committee), which paints a critical picture of Naples' traffic system and calls for urgent action from the city administration.
The recent structural work and new traffic systems have led to the measure's unraveling. Between the resurfacing of Via Acton and the changes to traffic flow related to the America's Cup preliminaries, getting around the city has become a challenge. The ones bearing the brunt, along with the residents, are the traffic operators.
"Taxi drivers no longer know where to go to work," reads the statement released by the Committee. "Hours are spent stuck in traffic, fuel consumption increases, fuel costs are becoming increasingly expensive, and at the same time, passengers are complaining legitimately about the interminable travel times."
The protest points the finger at Palazzo San Giacomo, directly addressing the mayor and the Transportation Department: "Dear Mayor, dear Councilor Cosenza, do you realize what's happening? A city bursting with traffic causes direct economic damage, even to those who provide public services. We're not asking for privileges, we're just asking to be able to work."
According to the trade union, the current management privileges the circulation of private vehicles to the detriment of non-scheduled public transport, leaving it "trapped daily." A paradox, the Committee emphasizes, for a sector considered essential yet deprived of the minimum tools to operate. Hence the final request to the Municipality: immediately develop a comprehensive mobility strategy to prevent each new construction site from resulting in yet another roadblock for workers and passengers.
