“The Romans need to return to being communities. We said it and we are doing it. For this to happen, we need shared spaces, regenerated places where we can move around safely and environments that improve the quality of life. With this measure we aim to reduce cars, develop cycling and walking, increase common spaces and improve the air we breathe” –Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri
Recently the Rome City Council approved the Detailed Traffic Plan “Historic Center”, which identifies 6 environmental islands – Portico d’Ottavia, Navona, Pantheon, Tridente, Trevi-Quirinale and Ansa Barocca (the area right outside the Borromini Center).
But central Rome already has a number of these “ecological islands” long declared car-free but in fact often filled with cars. Without enforcement there’s little point in announcing virtuous plans. Sure, we would love to see pedestrian friendly urban spaces where people of all ages and abilities feel comfortable. If walking for 15 minutes through the streets of Rome were a pleasure, not a constant stepping around parked cars or out of the way of speeding scooters, even the most auto-addicted Romans might think about leaving their car and walking.
As with any policy change, a combination of incentives and regulations, “carrots” and “sticks”, are needed and Rome needs to re-evaluate its carrots and its sticks. Carrots should attract pedestrians and bikers, sticks should discourage drivers.
Carrot: Provide new pedestrian spaces with shade, seating, water, and other amenities. These should be designed, financed and implemented. And motor vehicle access here should be regulated; if emergency, disabled or delivery access is needed, it should be enforced. Anyone entering it without true need (including law enforcement vehicles, cars with disabled sticker but no demonstrable disability, or delivery vehicle parking outside fixed time or time-limit) should be severely sanctioned to effectively discourage such violations. This can easily be enforced through digital surveillance.
Carrot: Public transit must be made dramatically more efficient. Buses must at least depart on precise schedules. Major lines (and all trams) should guarantee a frequency of 5 minutes so the actual schedule matters less. There must be zero tolerance for delayed departures or “corse saltate” (skipped routes).
Stick: Parking violations must no longer be tolerated as they are at present. In 2024 anywhere you look in Rome parking rules are blatantly ignored with impunity. It is possible to park for hours or days in areas where parking is absolutely forbidden by law (Piazza Garibaldi, all of the curves, bus stops, and pedestrian crossings on Passeggiata del Gianicolo, for example). This is a carrot for drivers which should become a stick; fines should be levied for all violations removing the incentive of free parking.
Stick: Public assistance in helping traffic flow should cease. Currently a huge number of city police are stationed at intersections to assist traffic flow, often holding back pedestrians from crossing in order to assist vehicular flow. They are not a disincentive to violations — cars run red lights before their eyes with impunity. Their job is to attempt to make driving in the city more tolerable. But the less tolerable it is the more likely drivers turn to alternative modes of transit; this is why in practically all other European cities public officials work to impede, not to expedite, traffic flow. Let traffic jambs occur in private lanes; station police at intersections not to direct traffic but to sanction drivers who run red lights (including those who enter intersections without the guarantee of liberating before the light changes), those who stop on pedestrian stripes, or who park near intersections. Or those who trespass in dedicated traffic lanes which leads to the next carrot.
Dozens of pedestrians wait to cross Lungotevere while police hold the green light for traffic
Carrot: Public transit and emergency vehicles should have dedicated protected lanes wherever possible — this is also public space. It would be natural to limit this to essential vehicles and thus not allow “machine blu”, government officials, or even taxis or ubers, but if that is politically impossible let’s at least enforce this to ensure that these public cars are carrying passengers. Only in case of an emergency (not a diplomat going to a meeting) do emergency vehicles get to use a siren and pass through red lights).
The reality of this last stick/carrot pair must be that private cars are stuck at intersections and public vehicles move swiftly, at least after an initial period in which any private driver who blocks the public lane automatically loses their license to drive.
A city where it is impossible to park for free (and where paid parking is available but expensive) will attract few cars. Drivers stuck in their cars in traffic jams with nowhere to park while comfortable efficient trams and buses glide through the city will eventually change their habits. Streets without cars will again fill with life.
A trip which today entails this:
a person getting alone in a car, driving alone through traffic cursing other drivers, risking the lives of pedestrians and cyclists, parking illegally and then weaving dangerously and unpleasantly through other illegally parked cars and moving vehicles to arrive angry and frustrated at his destination.
…will be replaced by this:
a person walks out of their home, waits a few minutes for a comfortable bus or tram, rides with other people in a comfortable, shared social setting, descends a short walk from her destination and walk through safe, vibrant pedestrian streets to her destination.
This is already the case in many European (and not only) cities. Rome will have added benefits almost unique to Rome: the transit ride shared with visitors from all over the world passing fantastic monuments, the walk the UNESCO site that is Rome’s centro storico. So welcome to the new pedestrian spaces but please, this time, let’s consider them part of a wider strategy for a car free city.
