News on the automotive eco-bonus and on Alitalia, but also interventions on the Highway Code, with the entry of the "pink stalls" and the increase in penalties for those who occupy reserved seats without authorization. And again: funds for the Regions to strengthen controls on public transport and accelerate investments for the safety of ports and railways. These are some of the measures contained in the decree on infrastructure and transport approved on Thursday by the Council of Ministers.
Let's see, in detail, what it is.
AUTOMOTIVE ECOBONUS
The Ministry of Economic Development explains in a note that with the decree, "to guarantee and optimize the use of the funds destined for the purchase of less polluting M1 vehicles included in the 0-60 grams of CO2 emission range, the resources foreseen for the 'Extrabonus (over 57 million euro) are reallocated to the ordinary fund of the Ecobonus incentive. Considering the effects produced by the epidemiological emergency, in particular those related to delays in production and the lengthening of the registration and delivery times of the vehicles purchased, it is also expected that the conclusion of the IT procedure to confirm the booking of the Ecobonus for the categories M1, M1 special, N1 and L can take place by 31 December 2021 if the insertion took place between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2021, and by 30 June 2022 if the insertion took place between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021”.
ROAD CODES: THE "Pink STALLS" ARE COMING, BUT NOT ONLY
The "pink stalls" make their entry into the Highway Code, i.e. the parking spaces reserved for pregnant women and parents with children up to two years of age. Furthermore, the Municipalities are given the possibility of reserving some places (permanently or temporarily) also for electric vehicles, vehicles for loading and unloading goods in certain time slots and school buses.
SEVERE FINES FOR UNAUTHORIZED PARKING
The fines for those who park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities are doubled: the new penalty will be between 168 and 672 euros.
The decree also provides for a strengthening of the sanctions for those who illegally occupy the pink stalls and all the reserved parking spaces. Heavier fines also for those staying in urban pedestrian areas.
The Municipalities then obtain incentives to allow free parking for people with disabilities within the blue lines in the event that the reserved parking lot is occupied.
BUS, UNDERGROUND, TRAM
As far as local public transport is concerned, given the trend of the pandemic and the resumption of work and teaching activities, the Regions will be able to use a portion of the resources for additional services assigned by the Government also to strengthen controls on the correct application of the recently established new guidelines.
ALITALIA
The decree introduces rules governing the transfer of the Alitalia brand and slots, as well as compensation for passengers holding tickets and vouchers for flights following the closure of the carrier, which will be replaced by Ita on October 15th.
PORTS, SHIPS AND DAMS
For the maritime sector, the decree provides for measures aimed at strengthening safety on ships and in port operations. As for investments in infrastructure, to increase the efficiency of the water ones and improve services for citizens and economic activities, the simplification of the maintenance operations of the large dams and reservoirs is envisaged, to which the Pnrr allocates substantial resources.
RAILWAYS
As for the railways, we are moving towards an acceleration of the implementation of the "National plan for the implementation of the European rail traffic management system, European Rail Traffic Management System (Ertms)", to which the Pnrr dedicates huge investments. The goal is to increase the safety of the railways, by renewing or restructuring vehicles, and to boost traffic without resorting to the construction of new works. The decree then strengthens the role of the National Agency for the safety of railways and road and motorway infrastructures (Ansfisa) to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of controls.
