Venice Introduces New Traffic Rules for Canals After Deadly Crash
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Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(ROME) — In Venice, Italy, the free and easy style of gondoliers is being curbed with the introduction of new traffic regulations.
The city is taking steps to cope with its clogged waterways after a German tourist was crushed to death when a gondolier and a water ferry collided this summer. Two gondoliers and three pilots of the ferries are now under investigation for the death.
But officials say the real issue is the 3,000 or so vessels that push through Venice’s canals each day, slowing traffic and putting passengers at risk.
The city is now cutting the number of ferries — something locals are not too happy about. It’s also requiring gondolas to be fitted with number plates and reflectors to increase visibility.
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