Press
The Garda cycle path was planned as a prestige project. Instead of cycling fun, however, costs exploded. The Court of Auditors in Rome is now investigating.
Limone – A cycle path along the lake shore with picturesque views. This should – and will – be the Lake Garda cycle path. The However, the prestige project is repeatedly confronted with fierce criticismNot least because of the horrendous costs. While in 2017 the entire project was estimated to cost 67 million euros, as of July 2024 “it is estimated that the costs will already exceed the billion mark,” explained the protection organization “Coordinamento Interegionale Tutela Garda” at South Tyrol News.
Rome Court of Auditors classifies expenditure on Lake Garda cycle path as “disproportionate”
The organisation’s individual associations have already filed complaints with the Court of Auditors in Trento on several occasions. It is not just the exploding costs that are a thorn in their side. They have also complained about safety problems, the destruction of the landscape and the lack of an environmental impact assessment. The Court of Auditors in Trento has not yet commented on this.
Now, however, there is a decision by the Court of Auditors in Rome. In it, the Roman authority states: “Lombardy is spending 1,567,048 euros per kilometer on the cycle path project around Lake Garda, while a comparable project in Sardinia only costs around 250,000 euros per kilometer. A clearly disproportionate amount that does not correspond to the established criteria for planning the routes to be financed.”
Disputed Lake Garda cycle path project: Protection organisation wants to file further complaint
This should be wind in the sails of the “Coordinamento Interegionale Tutela Garda”. The organization now wants to file a third complaint with more current data in Trento, according to South Tyrol NewsIn addition, they want to ask Rome to examine the costs borne by the regions and provinces.
Many are also concerned about the numerous landslides and rockfalls that have occurred around the lake in recent months. RAI News from a protest against the Lake Garda cycle path at the end of April, in which this aspect also played a central role. The protesters feared that comprehensive protection measures against landslides would further inflate the budget. (sp)
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