[ad_1]
Quattroruote had anticipated it last July 5But the Parliament, this time, under pressure from the Municipalities, in particular that of Milan, went far beyond expectations. In addition to the numerous changes to the Highway Code introduced to favor so-called soft mobility, in recent days the Senate has undermined the last taboo regarding speed cameras, that is, the impossibility of using fixed devices on the urban streets of the neighborhood. . In a few days, when the so-called Simplification Decree is definitively approved by the Chamber, it will be possible to install remote control tools for infractions also on these roads (and even on local roads, on urban bicycle lanes, another novelty approved in Palazzo Madama, and, in theory, even on cycling and pedestrian routes), subject to authorization from the prefect. A rule that, combined with the often indiscriminate dispersion of 30 zones, runs the risk of causing avalanches of fines even in the absence of objectively dangerous behavior.
The stop will also be sanctioned by garbage collectors. A photo will suffice. A new article enters the Highway Code, 12 bis, which will also allow employees of municipalities and private companies that administer regulated parking or that administer parking lots to know about parking or braking violations. The same power, including that of ordering the removal of vehicles, will also be granted, incredibly, to employees of municipal companies or companies involved in the collection of urban waste and street cleaning. In this case, however, the power to increase parking or stop fines will be limited, by the goodness of Parliament, to cases “related to the performance of the aforementioned activities.” This, however, does not mean that they will only be able to do so if the car obstructs the emptying of a container. The law, in fact, also speaks of “areas adjacent to those subject to the activity of its competence that are functional, respectively, to the management of spaces for the collection of urban waste or to the use of lanes or roads reserved for the line of service”. . Not only. In all cases, the use of digital technology and electronic and photographic tools may be used to know the infractions. The power to raise fines will be granted to people without a criminal record and after having passed “adequate training”. During the performance of their duties, they will be granted the status of public official.
For the rest, the package of measures approved by the Senate focuses a lot, as mentioned at the beginning, on soft mobility. Let’s see in detail all the next news.
Pedal in the wrong direction. This novelty had been in the air for a long time: by order of the mayor, and after the installation of the corresponding signage, in the urban streets of the neighborhood, premises, urban bicycle lanes and on bicycle and pedestrian paths, bicycles may circulate in the opposite direction, but only through the so-called double bike lane. sense of cycle, which can be done on roads with a speed limit of 30 km / h or those that are part of an LTZ. This, incredibly, “regardless of the width of the road, the presence and position of vehicle parking areas and the mass of vehicles authorized to transit.” It will be called a “bi-directional loop.”
Here comes the two-way bike path. Already introduced with the relaunch decree, the definition of a cycle lane has been changed again, the so-called cycle lane, which can now also be used by other vehicles, even when there are bus stops, and which can only be crossed by the need to stop . or the stop, obviously if there is a “vehicular parking strip” beyond. Not only. The bike path will also allow traffic in the opposite direction. The reform, in fact, also introduces the so-called “bi-directional cycle lane”, located to the left with respect to the direction of travel, “suitable to allow the circulation of bicycles on urban roads in the opposite direction to that of other vehicles”.
The urban bike path makes its debut. In the article of the Code dedicated to the definition and classification of highways there is a new entry: the urban bicycle lane defined as follows: “urban road with a single carriageway, with paved shoulders and sidewalks, with a speed limit of no more than 30 km / h, defined by special vertical and horizontal signals, with priority for the cycles “.
Priority to bicycles. On one-way urban roads where two-way bicycles are allowed, if the intersection is not easy, drivers of other vehicles should give priority to bicycles that circulate in the two-way cycle lane.
Overtaking of bicycles “at very low speed”. In urban bicycle lanes, if it is necessary to overtake a bicycle, it will be necessary to reduce speed and do so “at a very low speed if circumstances require it” and in any case “take special precautions to ensure greater lateral distance Safety “due to the” Probability of rocking and deviations “of the bicycle.
Bicycles on the roads reserved for buses. The municipalities may allow the circulation of bicycles also on lanes reserved for public transport vehicles, provided that there are no level tram tracks and provided that the track width is not less than 4.30 meters.
The Code mini-reform also includes other changes. Let’s see them in detail.
Exceptions to the prohibition of driving with foreign registration. As is known, since the end of 2018, people residing in Italy for more than 60 days cannot drive cars with foreign registration (except in the case where the vehicle is rented or rented without a driver by an EU company or See without headquarters in Italy or on loan for work use or collaboration with an EU company or See). A court rule that has squashed many abuses but that in recent years has caused many problems. The mini-reform of the Code finally extends the links to the most striking cases. Notwithstanding the general rule, residents in the municipality of Campione d’Italia (Italian enclave in Switzerland), civilian and military personnel recruited by public administrations abroad, border workers or people residing in Italy can circulate with foreign registration. who work for a company that has its registered office in a neighboring or neighboring State, that, with the vehicle registered in it in its own name, transit through Italy to reach their place of residence or to return to the headquarters of Work abroad; Personnel of the Armed Forces and the Police who provide services abroad in international organizations or military bases; employees of local rescue associations, for the repatriation of vehicles registered abroad. “Vehicles owned by foreign automakers loaned to Italian companies to test the aforementioned vehicles are incredibly excluded from this opening. A missed opportunity.
Electric car parking. In addition to situations in which parking and braking are prohibited, there are also “spaces reserved for stopping and parking electric vehicles.” Be careful though, once the loading is done, the stall should be cleaned. In these circumstances, in fact, the city councils will be able to foresee “recharge rates destined to discourage the station’s commitment beyond a maximum period of one hour from the end of the recharge”. The one hour limit will not apply from 11 pm to 7 am with the sole exception of high power charging points.
Establish school areas. As foreseen, a new zone enters the Code, the “school zone”, defined as follows: urban zone in the vicinity of which there are buildings destined for school use, in which special protection is guaranteed to pedestrians and the environment, delimited along the access routes from the corresponding start and end signs. “In school areas, the circulation, parking or stopping of all or some categories of vehicles may be limited or excluded, at the times and in the manner determined by the mayor’s order (but this prohibition, obviously, will not affect school buses, buses destined for the transport of students or pupils, and not even those with disabled credentials).
Taxis are also rented. Taxis and NCCs can also use long-term rental cars. Until now, only the availability of leasing was foreseen.
Simpler tests. Until now, any modification of the characteristics of the vehicles involved the so-called “visit and test” in a provincial headquarters of the civil motor vehicle. From now on, the Ministry of Transport may establish, with its own decree, modifications, also in relation to vehicles with adaptations for people with disabilities, for which the visit and the test is not required.
Registration card. The reform extends to everyone the possibility of keeping the old registration card on the occasion of the transfer of ownership of a car, a circumstance that would mean the replacement of the old registration card by the new single document. Therefore, it will be possible to request the return, upon payment, of the original registration document, on which a cancellation poster will be placed. The rate will be established by the Ministry of Transportation.
Tricycles of more than 250 cm3 on the road. The prohibition of circulation on the motorway (and on the main extra-urban roads where provided) of tricycles with a cylinder capacity equal to or greater than 250 cm3 if with a heat engine and in any case with a power not less than 15 kW, intended for the transport of people and maximum one passenger in addition to the driver “.
