According to T&L news portal Transporto Europa, construction activities, including port and airport expansions, are expected to result in the loss of more than 400 parking spaces for industrial vehicles in Genoa, exacerbating an already difficult situation for truck drivers.
With dwindling parking options, drivers may be forced to navigate urban areas or travel long distances within the city to find suitable parking, adding to their operational challenges.
Furthermore, as reported by the news site, lorry drivers are expressing their discontent with recent toll increases, which they claim undermine the reimbursements made by Autostrade per l’Italia to offset the increased costs associated with construction projects following the collapse of the Morandi bridge.
The toll increases are seen as undermining the benefits intended to support truckers in the face of rising costs.
To add to the frustration, Transporto Europa points out that lorry drivers are encountering difficulties in accessing the telematics portal set up by Autostrade per l’Italia to apply for refunds. Despite their requests to use an existing portal set up by the Port Authority after the collapse of the Morandi bridge, Autostrade per l’Italia has decided to develop a new portal which, according to truckers, is plagued by technical problems and delays.
The protest, dubbed “Camion lumaca” (snail trucks), is scheduled to start from the former Ilva area on 4 March, a strategic move as truckers have been seeking the creation of a dedicated truck parking area with amenities for drivers at the disused site.
Photo credits @ Salvatore1991, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons