APCOM

The guide on sustainable mobility 'Muoversi a Milano' (Moving around Milano) was presented yesterday during the second day of 'Fa' la cosa giusta', the fair entirely dedicated to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. It has been realised by the city council's committee for Mobility, Transports and Environment and association Legambiente in order to describe ecosustainable means of transportation to citizens.

The manual, which will be soon distributed to all the Milanese people, gives detailed information on how to choose other transports instead of cars. Furthermore, it's a way to spread awareness on how environment would benefit from a minor use of private cars. "From 1990 to today, Milano has lost 58,000 inhabitants and 185,000 cars: it means that for many people cars have become a burden rather than an instrument of freedom" declared Andrea Poggio, vice-general director of Legambiente "We must offer citizens a wide range of alternatives, both for public transports and for bikes and sharing systems".

Indeed Milano is the first Italian city for what concerns car sharing services, with 107 cars managed by two different companies (city council's 'Guidami' and Legambiente's 'Milano carsharing') in 62 parking lots. The national primacy concerns public transports too: 892 kilometres of surface covered by buses, trams and underground. The 63 kilometre-long underground transit system will be doubled within 2015 for the Expo. The latest tool introduced to fight air pollution is the Ecopass system, the congestion charge that drivers must pay to enter the city centre which was launched on January 2nd 2008. Foreign press has praised the initiative and, according to recent analysis, air quality has slightly improved.