"Yes to the tram, but if it runs regularly": Orizzonti against the suspension of Sir1 for maintenance

"Yes to the tram, but if it runs regularly": this, in a nutshell, is the opinion of the Paduan civic movement Orizzonti, which says it is "concerned about the total suspension of the Sir 1 tram line, stopped since mid-June and destined to remain inactive until September. This is a fundamental public service for thousands of citizens, which is interrupted almost every year for summer works, without opening a serious discussion on the inconveniences that this causes for the entire city".

Orizzonti continues: «We are in favor of the tram as a sustainable and modern mobility choice, but only if managed with continuity and respect for those who travel every day for work, study or necessity. It is unthinkable that a public transport system should be put on hold for two months out of twelve as if it were a seasonal service. With the ongoing construction of the new Sir 2 and Sir 3 lines, a question inevitably arises that can no longer be ignored: once completed, will these lines also undergo long-term annual blockages? Padua risks finding itself with three modern but unreliable tram lines, subject to recurring suspensions that compromise their usefulness. The tram can and must be a supporting infrastructure for urban mobility. But to truly be so, it needs efficient, planned and transparent management. Citizens have the right to know if this model will be able to guarantee a regular service, or if we will have to resign ourselves to intermittent mobility, with systematic interruptions every summer. Orizzonti asks that the municipal administration clarify this point and that a management plan for the tram lines be presented that will avoid, in the future, the systematic paralysis of the service. A city that wants to be at the forefront cannot afford to leave its public transport stopped for a sixth of the year. We say this with a sense of responsibility and without sterile polemics: the tram is a great opportunity for Padua, but only if it really works, every day".