The transport ministry on Saturday
afternoon issued a note saying "decades of disinterest, lack of
investments, ideological NOs" had caused the railway' network's
"grave infrastructural deficiencies" that explained Milan's
train chaos.
The note said that, over the past two years, Deputy Premier and
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini had "multiplied efforts to
change the trend, in particular regarding the railway network,
despite red tape and the multiple strikes proclaimed by
left-wing unions", adding that passenger trains had risen by 2%
in 2024 compared to the previous year with "half a billion
citizens" travelling on high-speed, Intercity and regional
trains.
The transport ministry said railway networks were "hyper-used"
with 9,000 trains a day on Italian rail agency Rete Ferroviaria
Italiana (RFI)'s network alone, noting that the Ferrovie dello
Stato (FS) railway company has announced a plan worth 100
billion euros including many maintenance projects.
"Minister Salvini fully intends to improve rail circulation,
making Italy more modern and connected: in 2025, 875 new trains
will be in circulation", the note also said.
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