The Italian government gave a boost to the troubled taxi sector Monday by increasing the number of licences, particularly in major cities where tourists have been hit by shortages. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni‘s cabinet adopted a decree law which allows councils to issue extra licences to cope with high demand linked to peaks in tourist arrivals or major events.
Big cities and those which host international airports will be able to increase licence numbers by up to 20 per cent, although applicants for the new permits must use electric or hybrid vehicles, the transport ministry said. The new permits will last up to two years, it said.
Italy’s competition watchdog said last week that it was looking into the taxi sector, which is run by a powerful lobby, amid reports of a severe shortage in major cities including Rome, Milan and Naples. Customers have reported long waiting times and some taxis refusing card payments, it said.
The drivers are a powerful lobby and have blocked previous efforts to increase competition by striking. Upcoming major events include the Catholic Church‘s 2025 Jubilee in Rome and the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Parliament now has two months to convert the decree into law, during which time it may be changed. The Italian capital Rome currently has around 7,800 taxis for some 2.8 million inhabitants.
In comparison, France’s capital Paris has almost three times as many for a similar number of inhabitants, as well as a much more developed public transport network.
The impact is visible in destinations, like Italy and Spain, where the tourism sector is being hit by heat waves and wildfires. Greece, Italy, Algeria and Tunisia combined lost more than 1,350 square kilometers (520 square miles) to blazes that affected 120,000 people in late July, according to European Union estimates. And Greece is expecting even more extreme heat in the coming days.
