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Speed controls on municipal roads have been liberalized and automated. The “urban bicycle lanes” arrive
by Maurizio Caprino
Speed controls on municipal roads have been liberalized and automated. The “urban bicycle lanes” arrive
3 ‘reading
In the conversion into law of the decree of Simplifications (Legislative Decree 76/2020) appears what two legislatures could not do: a mini reform of the Highway Code. That after 18 years he abandons the taboo of automatic speed controls on urban roads and gives free rein to the municipalities on fines for banning parking with attendants and for unauthorized entries in Ztl (limited traffic areas), with risks of abuse. and dangerous situations. Among the many novelties, including the green light for cyclists on the wrong path in some situations and a partial rollback of measures against the “cunning” of foreign license plates. On the other hand, we did not want to keep the long-term promise of tougher penalties for hand-held mobile phone users while driving.
Speed cameras
On the speed camera front, the ban on the use of automatic permanent stations on urban roads to remotely determine speeding drops. Since 2002, the only automatic controls allowed in built-up areas concerned urban traffic highways (avenues with separate carriageways with traffic lights at all possible intersections, where the limit can be raised to 70). Now the other urban roads are added, which for these purposes are thus equated with the rest of ordinary roads. Therefore, the installation of the automatic stations is still subject to the approval of the prefecture on the basis of an investigation on accidents and characteristics of the road carried out by the traffic police.
Therefore, the conditions are created to increase security in inhabited centers, an area where it has been more difficult to reduce mortality. Necessary premise for the promotion of “soft” mobility that is intended to promote the circulation of bicycles, scooters and the like (also playing with the illusion that they can replace public transport with reduced capacity due to Covid).
Urban cycle roads
On the bicycle front, “urban bicycle lanes” are introduced, with a speed limit of 30 km / h and priority for these vehicles: those driving other vehicles will have to give priority to cyclists passing or entering (even from private places) on these roads and you will need to be especially careful when passing them. The notion of “bike path” introduced in the spring has been clarified (albeit in a questionable way: it can also be used by other vehicles is limited to points where there is no space). Incentivized the opposite, now widespread but prohibited: to “welcome” it there may be cycle lanes to the left of one-way streets. Control authorized by the mayor also on urban roads with speed limits of up to 30 km / h or in parts of the LTZ. Where the two-way cycle is allowed, if the intersection between the two directions of travel is not easy, everyone should give priority to bicycles. Understand how it will be possible to apply these rules without further increasing dangerous driving even for cyclists and whether the priority and the opposite will also affect electric scooters, which in general since 2019 are equated with bicycles.
Who enters the Ztl
Also in the cities, a sponge blow on the guarantees against fines that are too easy for those who enter the Ztl: Legislative Decree 250/1999, which reserves the approval of the choice and positioning of all the systems of cameras used to detect violations. A “free all” that eases MIT offices in trouble, but opens the way to more “casual” municipalities. Those who tend to use deceptive signs and posted passages to punish even those who realize they are on the wrong path without giving them an escape route. Now it will be possible to add the use of cameras with insufficient performance to ensure correct identification of the offender’s vehicle.