Several Italian cities including Rome to be car-free Sunday

Science News ROME (AFP)
Saturday February 12, 2005

Rome and several dozen northern Italian cities including Milan and Turin
will be virtually car-free on Sunday as part of a continuing drive to
alleviate air pollution.
Cars, motorcycles and scooters will disappear from the streets of Rome
between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, with exceptions made only for funerals,
weddings, doctors and emergencies. Taxis and buses will also be allowed,
while subway trains will be added.

To compensate for the restrictions, the city of Rome has announced that
libraries will be open on Sunday, many museums will be free, and children
will be treated to organized games in public parks.

Another car-free day is set for March 6, also a Sunday.

The last exercise, on January 13, was somewhat ineffectual because football
fans were given special permits to go to an important match.
Milan will be completely car-free on Sunday, after which traffic will
alternate between cars bearing odd- and even-numbered licence plates for
nine days from Tuesday.

In Turin, another major industrialized city in the north, alternating
traffic will be imposed until further notice.

The Sunday car ban will be in place in Cremona, Mantua, Ferrare, Parma,
Ravenna and Bologna.