Extension of Service for Minibuses in Center

Four of Florence’s bussini (minibus) lines will now run until midnight, with service every 15 minutes from Wednesday, June 11. This new measure will be in place until October 5. 

Up until now, the bussini have stopped running at 8 pm every night. Service will now end four hours later, offering frequent service and connection in the centre. This change will apply to bussini lines C1 (Parterre-Santa Maria Soprarno), C2 (piazza Beccaria-Leopolda), C3 (Leopolda Porta to Prato-piazza Beccaria), and C4 (Santa Maria Maggiore-ex IOT Palagi).

Florence’s new measure is being put in place by the Municipality so as to streamline traffic in the city centre and aims to improve bus punctuality, overall safety, and reduce car-related traffic: according to Andrea Giorgio, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Ecological Transition at city hall, the intention is to “rendere il centro storico sempre più libero dalle auto” (to further free the centre of cars).

The municipal police will thus accompany the minibuses and check for disruptive car parking by using electronic devices installed with the new ‘Cerbero’ programme. This facilitates the penalisation of vehicles parked in unauthorised spaces, on double lines, and blocking driveways, the main culprits for slowdowns and traffic jams in the centre. As a spokesperson for Palazzo Vecchio explains, “non basta aumentare il servizio, bisogna proteggerlo” (‘it is not enough to improve the [bus] service, we must protect it’): the new hours of operation and increased checks on car parking mean that access to public transport will be more accessible and run more smoothly.

To further prevent disruptive car parking in the centre, the initiative Parcheggio Facile (‘Easy Parking’) has made it possible to park in around 4,000 spaces between 6 pm and midnight at a reduced price of €1. More spaces are available in areas such as Santa Maria Novella, Parterre, and Sant’Ambrogio. These prices can be accessed through the Bmove app.For more information regarding these new transport measures, visit https://www.firenzetoday.it/cronaca/orario-bussini-centro-storico-fino-mezzanotte.html. 

(Keziah McCann)