Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
PALERMO – The management of the regional road network and safety has returned to the centre of debate. Pippo Lombardo, a member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly for Sud Chiama Nord, has strongly opposed the latest financial decisions taken by the Consorzio per le Autostrade Siciliane (CAS), particularly the allocation of around €18 million for the installation of rumble strips.
Pippo Lombardo: “We need real works, not stopgap solutions”
According to the opposition member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, the measure adopted does not address the structural shortcomings of the motorway network:
“It is unacceptable that around €18 million is being spent on mere rumble strips, which essentially serve only to pre-warn drivers about the risk of leaving their lane, rather than focusing resources on structural investments and replacing safety barriers in line with current regulations.”
— Pippo Lombardo, member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, Sud Chiama Nord
For the regional MP, resource prioritisation must aim at directly eliminating hazards:
“Sicily’s motorways do not need stopgap measures, but a serious safety plan. Millions are being spent to signal a danger without taking action to remove it.”
— Pippo Lombardo
Demands: receivership for the CAS DG and new barriers
In response to the reported issues across the network, the Sud Chiama Nord group has submitted specific operational requests:
- Governance receivership: Immediate receivership of the CAS General Directorate.
- Safety and barriers: Rapid sourcing of funds to replace non-compliant motorway barriers and carry out extraordinary maintenance.
Appeal to institutions: “Overcome political conflicts”
Lombardo has finally urged both the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT) and the Region of Sicily to act swiftly and in coordination:
- To the MIT: A call to unlock and transfer the essential resources for barrier protection interventions.
- To the Region: A request to apply extraordinary and urgent procedures to accelerate spending capacity.
“Road users’ safety must not become a political battleground: the necessary resources and procedures are needed immediately, setting aside the squabbles between the member of the municipal executive Aricò and the deputy president Sammartino. We need real interventions and a technical structure capable of spending quickly.”
— Pippo Lombardo
