ATM SpA communicates that as a result of a provision from the Sicilian Region which, although pending proceedings before the Regional Administrative Court of Catania, accepted a hierarchical appeal proposed by the Campagna and Ciccolo company, is forced from tomorrow to interrupt the journeys reaching the Municipality of Villafranca Tirrena.
The respective trips, therefore, will still take place with departure and arrival at the Ponte Gallo terminus in the Messina area where it will be possible for all users to use the service.
ATM SpA is evaluating together with the Mayors of Messina and Villafranca T. the urgent judicial initiatives to be undertaken immediately in order to avoid the interruption of an essential public service used every day by hundreds and hundreds of citizens.
South Calls North: “A very serious act of abuse by the local public transport lobbies. The will of the Sicilian Parliament has been trampled upon”
“We are faced with a real institutional looting – declare the deputies of the South Call North parliamentary group – which once again sees the local public transport lobbies prevail over the democratic will of the Sicilian Parliament and the citizens’ right to an efficient service.”
The reference is to the affair which led the Sicilian Region, despite the pending proceedings before the Regional Administrative Court of Catania, to accept a hierarchical appeal presented by private individuals, with the consequent suspension of inter-municipal routes operated by ATM SpA between Messina and Villafranca Tirrena.
“A provision – continues South Call North – which represents a real bureaucratic transgression, since the regional Administration has interpreted in an arbitrary way the law proposed by us and approved by the Sicilian Regional Assembly, completely distorting its purposes. The will of Parliament has been mortified and the public interest has been trampled upon, bending it to private interests.”
The parliamentary group announces that, in addition to the judicial actions that will be undertaken by the Municipalities involved, strong political action will be carried out “against anyone who continues to influence public choices to the advantage of private individuals. We cannot accept that lobbies prevail over the rights of local communities, especially in a sector already heavily compromised such as that of Sicilian public transport”.
“It is unacceptable – continues the note – that the Region allows the suspension of an essential public service, used every day by hundreds of citizens, while in many municipalities and internal areas shortages, cancellations of trips and delays continue to be recorded, without anyone intervening. To make the situation worse, the same penalties provided for in the service contracts make it more convenient not to make a trip rather than guarantee it, with obvious damage to users.”
“We will defend in every forum – concludes the note – the will of Parliament and the Sicilian citizens, against any attempt at conditioning by lobbies and bureaucratic interpretations that betray the spirit of the law and the trust of our communities.”
Meanwhile, an urgent hearing has already been formally requested in the Fourth Commission of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, in order to clarify every aspect of this matter and ascertain the responsibilities of a decision that risks seriously compromising the continuity of the public service and the correct application of the rule approved by Parliament.