Venice gondolas to be fitted with GPS and licence plates
Venice’s gondolas are about to join the 20th century with the installation of GPS tracking devices.
Spurred by the death of a German tourist after the gondola in which he was travelling with his family was hit by a water bus, the city council is working out a 26-point safety plan that includes outfitting the boats with GPS systems, license plates and reflective strips, reports Corriere della Sera.
Venice’s transport councilor Ugo Bergamo said he is sure the rules will be in place by November.
"We had no alternative, we can no longer pretend that the problem does not exist," he said.
The council plans to halve the number of gondolas using the busiest stretch of the Grand Canal, either side of the Rialto Bridge, and ban them from using the city’s busiest waterways altogether until 10:30 a.m., when the morning rush is over.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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