It has been talked about for some time, but now it seems a turning point has been reached. The province of Bolzano is determined to pass a law requiring the payment of a 5-euro tax to drive over the Dolomite passes.
The aim is to reduce pollution and bring a little peace and quiet back to the high mountains, where large numbers of cars and motorbikes are recorded during the ski season and in summer.
The proposal comes directly from the environment councillor Florian Mussner, who says “We plan to charge a toll of 5 euros for cars and motorbikes, 12.50 for campers and 25 for buses”; the first stretches affected by the measure should be Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella and Passo Gardena, but the measure that could come into force as early as the coming months (and seems to be confirmed) is the toll on the Passo dello Stelvio. An agreement between the provinces of Sondrio and Bolzano appears to have been reached, and it also seems that the amounts will be around 15 euros for cars and 5 euros for motorbikes.
On the website of the province of Bolzano we read “All the funds collected through the application of the tariffs will be reinvested in works to enhance, maintain and upgrade the pass road” The funds raised would therefore not go towards mitigating pollution through CO2 reduction works, but would instead serve to keep the road in good condition and reduce the maintenance costs of the Passo Stelvio.
But the Dolomites are not only in the province of Bolzano: the province of Belluno has also weighed in on the matter, declaring itself firmly opposed to any tax or toll on the Dolomite passes. Its opposition is explained as follows: “We will never close the passes; if they want, let them close theirs! They live in abundance, they have everything and we have nothing. Here we have valleys that die if the passes are closed, and at an economically very difficult time like this one, to boot. We need to keep our feet on the ground”. The issue being raised is that of a possible drop in tourism in the valleys, which often depend precisely on the accessibility of the passes.
While the people of the Veneto are bitterly opposed to the measure, the province of Trento is not taking much of a stand, although it is showing some openness to the introduction of an “ecopass”.
A toll on the Dolomites had already been loudly called for some time ago by environmental committees and also by the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who had even proposed closing them at certain times of the year.
So one wonders whether this proposal is really a useful tool for reducing pollution in the magnificent Dolomites (a World Natural Heritage Site) or whether it is just yet another trick to levy taxes and raise cash.
What do you think? Are you for or against the toll on the Dolomite passes?
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