The Integrated Cross-Strait Area takes a further step forward thanks to thelaunch of the single transport ticket which makes mobility between Reggio Calabria and Messina more concrete. The signature between Atam, Atm, the companies that respectively manage public transport on land in Reggio Calabria, Messina and Liberty Lines which manages the maritime transport service in the Strait, opens a new and positive page for the development of the two metropolitan areas, the objective which is consistent with the programmatic mandate lines established by the mayor Giuseppe Falcomatà.
The agreement was signed, in Messina, by the representatives of the three companies, at the end of the technical table, convened by Admiral Nunzio Martello and meeting at the University, which took stock of the status of the integrated transport project. The act, due to its importance and historical value, recorded the presence of the acting mayor of the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria, Carmelo Versace, of the delegated metropolitan councilorGiuseppe Giordano. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport spoke online, Matteo Salvini.
The premises of the agreement on the single integrated ticket start from the mutual intention to activate all actions aimed at encouraging the use of public transport in the two cities of Reggio Calabria and Messina by the numerous commuters, and not only, who move between the two cities overlooking the Strait. Complete integration occurs with the means of maritime transport. There will therefore be a single ticket, valid for both Atam, Atm and Liberty Lines which at the price of 7 euros each way, will allow the use of the respective vehicles to move between the two banks of the Strait.
The agreement, in this first experimental phase, will last three months, until 31 December 2023, with the possibility of activating a second phase which guarantees users further services. Tickets will be available in electronic format and sent either by email and/or text message to the passenger. Liberty Lines, on behalf of Atam and Atm, will be responsible for issuing the integrated ticket, thanks also to online sales on the sales platform: www.booking.libertylines.it.
For the metropolitan councilor Giordano: “With the signing of the agreement, a fundamental step has been achieved for the construction of the integration process, between the two shores towards the Strait area, the effort of the last few weeks made by the technical table, with the metropolitan city acting as a technical link between the public transport companies of the two cities and the maritime carrier, it ensured that this first stage of a broader process was reached within the expected time frame. Now – he added – it will be necessary work to consolidate this result and for the other challenges, in order to facilitate the crossing also to widen the catchment area of the Strait airport also to the users of Messina. For these first goals achieved – he concluded – particular credit goes to the Admiral Martello who is expertly coordinating the technical body”.
According to the acting metropolitan mayor of Reggio Carmelo Versace “It is the achievement of an objective planned and pursued for some time and which we are now concluding thanks to our stubbornness in putting all the bodies involved around a table. Admiral Martello – he added – is was fundamental in this respect, managing to meet all the needs of the partners. It is an important result both for the Calabrian and Reggio area and for the Messina area, it is one of the most tangible results that can concretely be experienced first-hand by our fellow citizens of the Strait. Making mobility between the two cities, but more generally in the Strait area easier and more functional – Versace highlighted – also means being able to further develop the passenger flow of the “Tito Minniti” airport in a simpler way and functional.Thinking further, the people of Reggio and Messina will have the opportunity to enjoy their respective attractions, from the theatre, to shopping, to free time, being able to have at their disposal not only a single transport ticket, but also more suitable times. In a period in which there is ever more talk of stable crossings of the Strait – he concluded – our institutions, today, have demonstrated that they can offer valid alternatives”.
Uiltrasporti Messina: finally concrete actions for the integrated area
Subscribing to the integrated ticket between ATM, Atam and liberty lines is a step forward towards a true metropolitan area of the Strait – he declares Michele Barresi general secretary Uiltrasporti Messina – which passes through inter-modality and tariff integration.
Uiltrasporti has always been convinced that the integration of the Strait area can only be achieved by guaranteeing the full right to mobility of its inhabitants, giving meaning and value to the metropolitan area of Messina and Reggio Calabria.
In this sense, the tariff integration between the local public transport companies of Messina and Reggio Calabria and the liberty line maritime carrier implemented at the technical table convened by Admiral Nunzio Martello and meeting today at the University is positive.
With this initiative, Liberty Line shows that it is starting the new experience in the right way from October 1st in the connections between the two shores – continues Barresi –
We express satisfaction and at the same time remain convinced that we need to insist on greater frequency in connections between the two shores, with full synergy also in the Calabrian and Sicilian regional railway connections.
It is necessary to guarantee the citizens of the Strait area a higher quality service, with social tariffs which we hope will be adequately controlled with the intervention of the State, with greater frequencies in the connections between the two sides, even on weekends in which today the number of maritime races
it is still too small.