Public transportation, Nobiletti raises his voice: "The regional plan is a blow to the provinces."

“ A blow for the Apulian provinces” . With these words, the vice-president of UPI Puglia , Giuseppe Nobiletti , opened the proceedings of the Conference of Services on the Three-Year Plan for Local Public Transport Services 2024–2026 , firmly denouncing the economic unsustainability of the measure adopted by the Region with DGR n. 872/2025 .

Also speaking in his capacity as President of the Province of Foggia , Nobiletti expressed concern and opposition on behalf of the entire system of Apulian provinces , underlining how the plan as conceived is destined to fail in its practical application.

"The Plan places an enormous financial burden on the Provinces," he said, "without guaranteeing the necessary funding or complying with national regulations on local public transport. The Province of Foggia alone would be required to contribute over €17 million annually to guarantee basic services. This is a completely unaffordable figure."

The technical report presented by the Province of Foggia and shared by UPI Puglia reveals a worrying picture: the regional contribution would cover barely 70% of the costs , leaving the ATOs with an unsustainable deficit, aggravated by the lack of adjustments for sell-offs, collective bargaining agreements, and VAT. Furthermore, the plan even calls for shifting responsibility and penalties onto local authorities.

For these reasons, the Vice President of UPI Puglia has announced his intention to appeal to the TAR against DGR 872/2025 , deeming it flawed both from a regulatory perspective and for manifest financial unreasonableness.

"We are calling on the Region to immediately change course," he added. "We need a genuine discussion, not a top-down decision that would jeopardize the entire public transportation system, especially in inland areas."

UPI Puglia will formally request the opening of an urgent regional roundtable to review the Plan in agreement with the territories and ensure the sustainability of minimum services, as required by law.

Meanwhile, trade unions are also mobilizing, raising strong alarm about the job risk: "If this plan goes ahead, in the Foggia area alone," they declared, "we will lose over 90 jobs in suburban transport alone. This is an attack on the jobs and mobility of thousands of citizens."

UPI Puglia reaffirms its commitment to protecting provincial communities and calls on the Puglia Region to be responsible, attentive, and provide adequate resources to ensure essential services and territorial cohesion.

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