Italy moves to ban horse-drawn tourist carriages in Rome and other art cities

One of Rome's oldest trades is at risk of disappearing for good. A bill was presented to the Chamber of Deputies that, if approved, would ban poticelli, the typical horse-drawn carriages particularly common in major tourist cities, first and foremost Rome. The proposal calls for the repeal of Article 70 of the Highway Code, which regulates public transportation services using animal-drawn vehicles, thereby permitting their operation. Today's streets, in fact, are not suitable for the animals' well-being. Furthermore, the extreme temperatures of recent days make it impossible for horses to travel, given the scorching asphalt. For those who support the proposal, continuing to pull horse-drawn carriages in the heart of the capital is a practice that belongs to the past, not the future.