Rome’s buses, metro under fire as Holy Year tourists flock to city

Services are often late and there are problems with lifts and security

Italy's competition authority has launched an investigation into Rome's bus and metro company, Atac, citing concerns over substandard service in recent years.

The probe, initiated due to “possible unfair commercial practices”, centres on allegations that Atac failed to meet the quality benchmarks agreed upon with the city of Rome for the period spanning 2021-2023, the authority said in a statement on Tuesday.

The regulator highlighted several areas of concern, including failures in punctuality, the functionality of escalators and lifts, and the provision of security guards at metro stations.

Under Italian law, violations of consumer rights regulations could result in fines ranging from €5,000 to €10,000.

Atac said that its management was prepared to furnish all necessary information requested by the authority.

The company, owned by Rome's municipality, said it was “undergoing a major renovation of its assets and procedures, which has led to visible improvements throughout its operations”.

Rome's public transport system has long been criticised for its inefficiency.

Rome’s metro system is undergoing an upgrade (AP)

The situation has been further strained by the Catholic Holy Year. The special event, typically held every 25 years, is is expected to draw up to 32 million tourists to the city.

To prepare for the event, the city has embarked on a major renovation and public works programme, which includes fresh investment on public transport.

Atac did not take “adequate corrective measures to address the repeated deficiencies, nor measures to adjust or partially refund the fares charged, given the potential disruptions to consumers”, the competition authority said.

In 2018, more than 20 people were hurt, mostly CSKA Moscow soccer fans, as an escalator malfunctioned in a metro station in central Rome.

Footage of that incident, captured by a witness, showed passengers being crushed at the bottom of the moving staircase, which had sped up and hurtled towards the lower floor.

Passengers on the parallel escalator could be seen trying to pull others to safety, while some jumped onto the steep central reservation separating the two stairs.

Russian media reported that one person had his foot severed in the incident.

In recent years, there have also been numerous Atac buses catching fire.