Federalberghi Aeolian Islands returns to denounce the insufficient quality of maritime transport services, essential for the territorial continuity of the Archipelago, asking the Sicilian Region to respect its contractual and constitutional commitments.
The biggest concern at the moment concerns the Aeolian – Naples strategic line. Also for the current winter season, the motor ship “Laurana”, equipped with adequate capacity (158 cabins and 272 cars), has been replaced by the “Pietro Novelli”, a vessel from 1979 which offers only 18 cabins and approximately 93 parking spaces. This vessel is completely inadequate, also in terms of comfort, speed and seaworthiness, to cover a state route which requires more than 15 hours of travel. This constitutes a setback in services, worsening an already precarious situation. Please note that a similar inconvenience occurred last year, when the “Nerea” was used to cover this route. This choice had led to the subtraction of the most important vehicle from the Milazzo-Aeolian route to place it on a route (Aeolian-Naples) for which it is in any case not suitable, having only 20 cabins. The direct consequence of these choices is the further penalization of the Aeolian – Naples route, which has already suffered a halving of the number of trips in the winter period due to cuts on state routes in recent years.
Furthermore, there persists a chronic lack of parking spaces and for commercial vehicles on the internal Aeolian – Milazzo route. The problem manifests itself in particular on the first morning trip departing from the Aeolian Islands at 07:00 and on the afternoon return at 17:15. The use of ships such as the “Filippo Lippi” and the “Antonello da Messina”, with a carrying capacity of only 76 cars, is completely insufficient to satisfy the needs of the resident community and the economic fabric.
Finally, we ask for the immediate restoration of the unexpected cut in the state route returning to the Aeolian Islands on Tuesday at 5.15pm and the restart on Wednesday morning at 7.00am. These cuts represent yet another inconvenience and a clear regression of vital services for the community.
Federalberghi Isole Eolie, which recently sent a detailed note together with the other affiliates to the Department and the Infrastructure and Transport Department of the Sicilian Region in view of the next tenders, reiterates the need for concrete action to ensure compliance with the public transport charges established by the contracts.
Smaller islands: Confesercenti, “Urgent table on connections”
Confesercenti Sicilia asks for the opening of “a structured discussion” on connections with the Minor Islands. «The Minor Islands have been experiencing a state of discontinuity in transport for years, with often inadequate means, onerous tariffs and insufficient connections – we read in the note -. It is necessary for the Region and the competent authorities to involve all stakeholders to identify concrete and shared solutions, also in view of the preparation of new tenders.» Confesercenti recalls that «the meeting of 30 September last did not allow the full participation of the Mayors and production categories, limiting the possibility of addressing the substantive issues in depth». «We ask that a technical table be convened as soon as possible with the participation of all the actors involved – continues the note – since guaranteeing efficient connections, adequate means of transport and sustainable tariffs means protecting the right to mobility of residents and promoting the tourist and economic development of extraordinary but fragile territories such as the Minor Sicilian Islands».