Taxis in Naples are on strike: "The city is paralyzed, the municipality must intervene."

The taxi industry in Naples has officially declared a state of unrest. This was announced by the organizations Unimpresa and SITAN/ATN, who, in a letter addressed to the mayor, the relevant councilors, the general manager of the Municipality, and, for information, the prefect of Naples, denounced what they call an unsustainable situation regarding urban mobility.

The protest stems, according to the document, from the "impedance to the provision of public transport services" caused by the paralysis of traffic. The unions describe the situation as no longer episodic, but rather structural, accusing the municipal administration of inadequate traffic management.

«Trafficking is now endemic»

Roadworks are the primary target, but taxi representatives believe they aren't the only cause of the difficulties. Their complaint focuses primarily on the lack, in their view, of day-to-day traffic management and comprehensive mobility planning.

The statement also criticizes the decision to concentrate events and demonstrations in the city center, often in the same locations already experiencing heavy traffic. This situation, according to taxi drivers, would further aggravate already congested traffic.

Trade unions have gone so far as to describe a "practically non-existent" Department of Roads and Traffic and lament the elimination, in the organization of municipal offices, of a service specifically dedicated to mobility, with responsibilities now merged with other sectors.

Also under scrutiny are the ZTL and controls

A significant part of the protest concerns the control of access and circulation in the city centre.

According to Unimpresa and SITAN/ATN, private traffic would continue to enter the historic center without adequate containment measures, while tourist buses, trucks, articulated lorries, and vehicles loading and unloading goods would contribute to congestion.

The document also denounces the failure to comply with ordinances regarding loading and unloading times and highlights the lack of new traffic-restricted zones (LTZs) under the current administration. The unions also lament the failure to implement traffic containment measures despite the air pollution peaks noted in the press release.

Taxis and buses held hostage by the streets

According to taxi drivers, public transport would be the ones paying the highest price for this situation.

The association claims that ANM taxis and buses are "permanently damaged" by traffic. The paradox they denounce is that, while Naples is experiencing a growth in tourist flows and a greater demand for mobility, those who should ensure rapid and widespread travel are forced to contend with congested roads on a daily basis.

The document also notes that some users would even prefer to walk rather than get stuck in taxis. This translates into direct economic damage for drivers, especially at a time when, according to the statement, management costs, especially fuel, are already rising.

The request for a meeting with the Municipality

The tone of the communication becomes particularly harsh in the final section. The organizations describe an "exasperated" category and ask the Administration to change course through serious policies to combat vehicle traffic.

The unions announced that the state of unrest will remain in effect until appropriate measures are adopted. But above all, a political ultimatum has been issued: in the absence of a specific meeting with the City Council regarding the reported problems, the taxi drivers have announced a protest with a picket outside Palazzo San Giacomo.

The battle, therefore, now shifts to the realm of institutional debate. On one side, a sector that claims it can no longer regularly provide an essential public service; on the other, the municipal administration, called upon to address one of the most sensitive issues facing Naples' tourism industry: how to reconcile construction sites, major events, growing traffic, public transportation, and private vehicles without turning the city center into a permanent bottleneck.