Things already seen a thousand times. The Circumvesuviana railway never disappoints in terms of inconvenience and protests. On the last Monday, July 17, hundreds of passengers between Castellammare di Stabia and Torre Annunziata had to abandon the train due to the fall of an overhead power line. The failure occurred at the height of Pompei and the frightened travelers fled. Forced to get off and "walk on the tracks, under the scorching sun, the route that separated them from the nearest station", writes the Ansa. Many were tourists and the train in question has nothing to do with the Trenitalia one inaugurated the day before by the premier Giorgia Meloni from Rome to Pompeii. Luckily on Monday only one person was rescued by 118. It could have been worse, who knows, and traffic was then reactivated after some work. We tell the umpteenth mishap for the unfortunate people heading to the most attractive places in the Neapolitan area. The Eav (Volturno Autonomous Body) which manages the Circumvesuviana has been around for some time in the crosshairs of associations and committeesi, tired of fighting against disservices and risks of all kinds. Tourists who want to go by train to Sorrento, Pompeii, Herculaneum, visit enchanting places, offered in all tourism exchanges, must take these trains. The Campania Region fully controls the company, appoints its top management, but only on a few occasions has it shown a willingness to get to the bottom of the problems. Maybe he needs to take a better look at management, beyond the public statements.
Ignored the alarms of Legambiente
The Report "commuter” of Legambiente this year has included (once again) the Circumvesuviana among the worst railways in Italy. There are also serious environmental problems. Every day the railway transports 75 people who, with the summer season and the tourist attraction of the Vesuvian and coastal area, grow exponentially. The President of the Region Vincenzo De Luca defends the President of the Eav Umberto De Gregorio and the company. He says he has inherited 700 million euros in debt and that a good job is being done at Eav. Maybe, but he too has to admit the inefficiencies: “Disservices of the Circumvesuviana? You have to have a little patience, because the work is in progress, miracles cannot be done,” he said. The trains are old and the lines inadequate. In the past there have been very serious accidents which have shaken travellers, trade unions, police forces and mayors. In 2020, the EIB granted a loan of 68 million, for the purchase of new trains. Last March, Eav signed a 292 million euro contract with the Alstom Company for work on the Sorrento section. The operation makes use of PNRR funds and according to internal opinions of the company it was a necessary intervention to guarantee the survival of the Circumvesuviana.
The stations places to be reclaimed
Those who protest have clear what to do even with respect to that sustainable mobility that Italy should see grow. Legambiente has asked the government for an "iron cure" on the worst lines, such as the Circumvesuviana. To address the anxieties of commuters – often overcome with the use of private cars (in the Naples area!) and therefore with more pollution, resources amounting to 500 million a year are needed just for the regional railway service. De Luca says that for his railway it is necessary to redo the entire safety system and replace 50-year-old trains. But there are situations bordering on safety and decorum even for stations. In recent days the Brusciano station (Naples – Baiano route) has become a bit of a symbol of abandonment and danger for travellers. Renovated only three years ago, it is in fearsome conditions and without any custody. A year ago it was promised management to a third sector organization, but nobody can be seen and public money is rotting under the sun. You frequent police checkpoints here and elsewhere. The commuters of the "tourist" line have also protested in recent days about the cancellation of some trips. What future awaits us? The situation has gone beyond the political and territorial borders of Campania, as can be understood from the words of Matteo Salvini, Minister of Transport. He went beyond De Luca's acknowledgment of the critical issues of the Circumvesuviana. “I too get complaints every day. I will ask the Campania Region how and when to make this investment, I can take care of the high-speed train but the commuter doesn't take it, he would like to go to work in peace and the tourist would like enjoy Naples without stopping every quarter of an hour” he told the UGL congress. “If something still doesn't work as it seems here, alas, I'll have to ask Rome to account. Desperate times call for desperate measures". Yes, more than one thing doesn't work and on many fronts. Everyone is in their places, political leaders, technicians, "area" managers. Everyone to take the protests of travelers and tourists to places of world beauty, forced to get on the Circumvesuviana trains in the worst way.