The regional council of the charming Cinque Terre village in Italy approved new fares for the region's rail service on Tuesday (14), which is mainly accessed by train.
The decision has sparked controversy in the small towns of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia and Monterosso in the province of La Spezia in Liguria, where there are doubts as to whether the measure was taken to reduce the flow of tourists or to increase revenue.
Liguria's governor, Marco Bucci, denies the existence of mass tourism, which would be the main reason for the increase in fares. The aim was to "regulate tourist flows, discouraging peaks in attendance and combating overcrowding."
However, Democratic Party (PD) advisor Davide Natale stressed that it is not clear whether this was done for that reason or to “raise money”. But for him, “it is the second hypothesis” and therefore he does not agree.
The regional Transport advisor, Marco Scajola, explained that, through a resolution a month ago, the programming for the year 2025 was approved with regard to the fares and the various activities planned for the Expresso 5 Terre and, like all experiments, it was to obtain improvements.
“Therefore, we have not found any reason not to move forward with an initiative that protects the inhabitants,” concluded Scajola. (HANDLE)
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