by InTrieste
In response to a growing concern over passenger and worker safety in the region’s public transport system, Friuli Venezia Giulia’s regional government has announced the allocation of extraordinary funds aimed at enhancing security across its road-based transit networks.
Cristina Amirante, the Regional Councillor for Infrastructure and Territory, and Pierpaolo Roberti, the Regional Councillor for Local Autonomies, Public Administration, and Security, emphasized the region’s ongoing efforts to improve both the quality of public transport and the security of those who use and operate it. Speaking at a meeting on public transport security in Udine on February 18, the two officials outlined plans to deploy new resources for vehicle upgrades, staff training, and increased security measures.
Continued Focus on Public Safety
The initiative comes after several high-profile incidents of violence aboard public buses last year, including a spate of attacks around the Christmas holidays. Amirante, who addressed a roundtable with local stakeholders and the Prefect of Udine, Domenico Lione, stressed the region’s commitment to maintaining peace of mind for both passengers and transit staff. “We continue to invest in improving vehicle quality, increasing the recruitment of qualified personnel, and strengthening security measures,” she said. “These efforts are carried out in coordination with local authorities and the four regional public transport companies.”
A key part of the plan is a €9.9 million funding boost, already distributed to the public transport companies, to improve working conditions and introduce additional security measures, such as onboard equipment and training programs designed to attract new staff.
A Successful Security Initiative
The region’s efforts also include the continued deployment of private security personnel, a measure that has been piloted with success in the last year. Roberti noted that an earlier experiment with security guards aboard buses had shown “excellent results” in deterring violence and preventing future incidents. The success of this initiative has led the regional administration to incorporate it into the long-term budget, with €500,000 allocated for the upcoming year. This figure will grow to €1.5 million over the next three years, with flexibility to increase funding as needed.
Growing Threat Across the Region
The safety concerns are not limited to just urban areas, as reports of assaults have begun to emerge in smaller towns and rural areas of the region as well. As a result, regional officials have announced plans to expand the current security framework into a broader, regional-level task force, one that will include representatives from law enforcement and local government offices.
“As we gather insights from local communities, we are seeing that public transport safety concerns are not confined to major cities alone,” Roberti said. “This requires a collective effort, with resources targeted where they are most needed.”
With public transport playing a crucial role in the daily lives of residents, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region’s increased investment in safety measures represents a forward-thinking approach to tackling the evolving challenges of urban mobility.
