Attention tourists!
Italy regulates traffic on a popular holiday route with a curious system
Created: 06/21/2022, 15:08
By: Tom Offinger
The Amalfi Coast attracts thousands of holidaymakers to Italy every year.
The associated traffic disturbs local residents and is now radically regulated.
Amalfi - Every year, thousands of tourists make their way to the beautiful Amalfi Coast in southern Italy.
For years, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been threatened by a major problem: every summer, a never-ending column of cars clogs up the picturesque coastal road, causing the local residents a lot of strained nerves.
Politicians in the region are using a curious method to prevent traffic congestion on Strade Statale (Ital. state road) 163 south of Naples.
Traffic on the Amalfi Coast: Tourists must be prepared for restrictions
As the local newspaper
Positano News
reports, the traffic at the tourist hotspot is to be determined by the number plates of the cars in the future.
Odd-numbered vehicles are only allowed to drive the 51-kilometer stretch between the towns of Meta di Sorrento and Vietri sul Mare on odd-numbered days.
Accordingly, they have to hold back on even dates, but cars with even numbers are allowed to drive on the state road.
However, the regulation only applies to the main travel season in summer, the rule expires on September 15th and only applies to Saturdays and Sundays.
In the main travel month of August, however, it applies all day, always from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cars belonging to local residents, public transport vehicles and taxis are excluded from the regulation.
Rental cars, on the other hand, must comply with the driving ban.
Travelers in particular must therefore be vigilant in the coming weekends and months.
Although there is a motorway between Meta di Sorrento and Vietri sul Mare that can be used as a bypass, it does not follow the coastline and leaves out numerous holiday resorts.
Those who spend their holidays in Positano, Praiano or Amalfi cannot avoid the Strada Statale 163.
Traffic on the Amalfi Coast: random checks should be carried out
According to the Italian road management company,
Azienda Nazionale Autonoma delle Strade
(
Anas
), the first few days ended "with few checks" and without major difficulties.
In general, the vehicles should be randomly checked, violating the vehicle owner faces a fine.
It is not yet known how high this will be.
The idea of the unusual traffic regulation is not entirely new, in the past politicians in the area wanted to enforce such a regulation.
An introduction was last discarded in April 2020.
In addition to the emerging corona pandemic, objections from local parties had repeatedly prevented implementation.
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