• Coronavirus, Speranza signs ordinance: no easing of train measurements
  • Ending distancing on trains. Cts, worrying

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02 August 2020

An email that arrives in the middle of the night for Trenitalia passengers, to warn them that the distance will remain on the trains: so the main Italian railway company has tried to clarify with the customers, and reassure them, after the ticket sales at 100% of the seats they had been opened and then closed again, with the backstop imposed by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza. "Dear customer - reads the email -, we inform you that the distance and the limit of 50% of seats to be filled on the chessboard remains confirmed on all the Arrows and Intercities. Trenitalia, by order of the Minister of Health, has in fact suspended the "application of the measures previously implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Prime Ministerial Decree of 14 July which allowed the derogation from social distancing on board high-speed and medium and long-distance trains in the presence of specific conditions".

The company's intention is to "reassure" customers: "Trenitalia maintains all other measures on board trains aimed at protecting health, including: new disinfection and sanitization processes for trains, on-board disinfectant gel dispenser, incoming and outgoing flows, enhancement of the on-board cleaning service, disposable gloves and masks supplied to all personnel on board, safety kit distributed on board and containing mask, headrest and hand sanitizing gel ". It also remains active "the measurement of body temperature at the time of departure in the stations where Frecciarossa and Frecciargento stop". Finally, Trenitalia reminds passengers that their "collaboration is fundamental for a safe journey" and invites them "to wear masks and often sanitize hands".

Italo: "Forced to cancel trains". Reimbursement for 8,000 passengers
Italo informs that "in order to comply with the provisions of the order issued suddenly yesterday by the Minister of Health which re-introduces, with immediate effect, the obligation of distancing in High-speed trains - was forced, despite himself, to cancel 8 trains in the morning (9919/9921 to-sa 07:33; 9975 mi-na 09:15; 9927/9929 to-sa 9:33; 8111/8113 to-rc 05:23; 8143 to-rc 13 : 23; 8126 an-mi 13:40; 8131 mi-an 08:45; 8135 mi-an 11:40) and numerous tickets for the afternoon trains, reaching about 8,000 passengers who have not been able to use the ticket already bought. "

Italo, the note continues, "has already taken steps to reimburse passengers in the shortest possible time and is working to minimize any inconvenience for the next few days, trusting in the understanding of its customers".

Hope signing order
After the controversy came the stop to the government's decision to eliminate the obligation to distance on high-speed trains, thus allowing convoys to travel at 100% of their capacity.

"It is right that the safety rules applied so far remain in force on trains. We cannot afford to lower the level of attention and caution. This is why I signed an ordinance that reiterates that in all closed places, open to the public, including means of transport, both the spacing of at least one meter and the obligation of masks is and remains mandatory. These are the two essential principles that, together with frequent hand washing, we must keep in the coexistence phase with the virus ". Health Minister Roberto Speranza writes it on Facebook.

Mit: government has never authorized 100% filling of trains 
"The guidelines attached to the Dpcm of 14 July had not reintroduced 100% filling, but an exemption from the social distancing of one meter under certain conditions which, if implemented
, they would have increased the capacity of the wagons, while not allowing their full filling ". MIT specifies it in a note.

"Today - it still reads - after 16 days, after a confrontation with Minister Speranza and assessed the curve of the infections, a prudent decision was agreed on the capacities of High Speed ​​trains in order not to take unnecessary risks. In light of this , trains will continue to travel with the same rules so far applied without any derogation. "

The MIT also stresses that "for the entire public transport system, the CTS was asked to reassess all the guidelines already attached to the dpcm of 14 July and to provide an opinion on the new lines for school transport".