Bari pushes referendum on traffic plan as city tightens control of illegal bike‑lane use

City councillor Fabio Romito announced a self‑organised popular referendum on urban mobility, calling on Bari residents to vote on the future of the city’s traffic network. Romito criticised the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, recent bike‑lane installations and reduced parking, saying they have created “a disaster of mobility” that threatens local businesses and daily life.

The municipal administration responded to a wave of reports that cars and light trucks were travelling on newly opened bike paths along Lungomare Santo Spirito and Via Argiro and parking in recently pedestrianised zones. Mayor‑appointed officials, including assessor Domenico Scaramuzzi, warned that such behaviour violates traffic code, endangers pedestrians and cyclists, and damages public works, adding that “the care of public spaces is a collective responsibility.” Local police will increase patrols and issue fines to restore safety and protect the new infrastructure.