Again according to what was reconstructed by Adnkronos, the presence of golf cars in Rome has intensified since August. "The city is transforming into a real transport jungle. In recent months we have seen everything: golf cars invading every form of parking, vehicles going the wrong way and in pedestrian areas. Tourists sitting in the opposite direction of travel and hugging their suitcases because they are often picked up directly at the station and taken to the hotel. We have also seen golf cars on the Rome-Fiumicino while they transported tourists to the airport", says Luca Notarbartolo, president of the Ncc Italia association.
"Today we have around 500 golf cars that operate permanently in the territory of Rome Capital within a non-standardized and non-regulated context", he continues, underlining how with their activity these operators "are offering services that too often overlap with our rental with driver and the world of taxis. Indeed, these golf car drivers transform themselves into tourist guides, offering tours and carrying out the work of authorized professional guides".
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For Riccardo Cacchione, national coordinator of Usb-Taxi, there is also a safety problem: "Customers travel in completely uncovered vehicles, sitting in the opposite direction of travel, without protection and often without seat belts. Sometimes there are also children on board. There is a real risk that customers fall outside also because during the rides they lean out of the vehicle to take photos. Furthermore, while driving these golf cars, the driver often turns to talk to customers to explain to them the history of the monuments generating further dangerous situations for traffic".
And the topic of unfair competition also arises. According to Cacchione, "these operators often accompany tourists to the hotel, effectively carrying out an irregular taxi service. We ask that the rules that apply to taxi drivers apply to everyone and that there are controls. There is a need for transparency otherwise an ordinary person could wake up tomorrow morning, buy a golf cart and start earning by having a ride pay up to 500 euros".
"Today a space has opened up for this new form of service - explains Luca Notarbartolo - and someone is riding it. We would also like to raise the issue of the registration of these vehicles. The practices have been authorized by the Motorization but we see license plates of all types around", from the rectangular ones for scooters to the classic rectangular ones for cars. Furthermore, "golf cart operators offer real tourist packages - explains the president of Ncc Italia - but we are not aware of what their authorizations are. A rental operator with driver in fact has an extension of the license, a professional certificate of professional qualification B, and must pass an exam to register as a rental company with driver. A tourist guide has a license and must pass an exam to obtain it. These operators, however, do not have any type of authorization". "Furthermore, it should be verified - adds Cacchione - that these vehicles comply with the testing requirements for which they were approved. For example, I see them circulating well above 25 km per hour, sometimes even at night, and I wouldn't want it to be an improper use of the vehicle".
The request of taxi representatives and NCCs is to have more rules for the sector: "Until there is regulation, even the authorities, I am thinking of the local police of Roma Capitale, will not have the tools to verify. They can limit themselves to sanctioning infringements of the traffic code, to fining them for prohibited parking, but they cannot do much more - concludes Notarbartolo -". While Cacchione asks himself: "What type of city is this? What guarantees do we give to that tourism that is presented as the gold mine of this city? Do we want to entrust it to non-transparent mechanisms? We want clear rules: anyone who doesn't respect them must be stopped."
Meanwhile, as reported by the Roman edition of Corriere della Sera on 23 September, a bill for the regulation of golf cars was presented in the Region by councilor Marco Bertucci (FdI), president of the Budget Commission. But the taxi and NCC representatives called for an "amnesty" and rejected the idea of "establishing a simple register to which anyone could sign up". The model they would like us to look at is that of Florence, where a quota has been introduced (three vehicles for each operator and a total number not exceeding 50) and where two pre-established routes have been identified. Meanwhile, today, 29 September, the first discussion is being held at the Public Works and Mobility commission on the proposed law in Lazio.
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Furthermore, from Rome came the comment of the councilor for Major Events, Tourism, Sport and Fashion of Rome Alessandro Onorato who complimented Adnkronos for the investigation and who underlined: "I had said it several times that there was something that wasn't right, something worrying, because it is not acceptable that in our city someone suddenly wakes up, buys a golf car that is worth 40 thousand euros and becomes a cross between a taxi, an NCC and a tourist guide. What is emerging is truly disturbing. I am convinced that those in charge will get to the bottom of it." Then the appeal to the President of the Region Francesco Rocca: "If the Lazio Region does not make a law, the municipality cannot regulate this phenomenon. Dear Lazio Region, please make this law as soon as possible".
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