The announcement follows several incidents involving the oversized buses in the heart of the Eternal City: this month, a cyclist was killed in a collision with a coach, while in October a pedestrian was hit by a bus while on a zebra crossing and died.
Rome’s council said it will add extra parking areas outside the no-coach zone, known as “Area C”, and tourists can walk to major sites.
Coach operators, who under current regulations pay €6 per day for unlimited entry to the city centre, will see the fee rocket to €180 for one day’s access to the city’s outer limits.
There will be exemptions for school buses, coaches transporting disabled passengers and buses transferring guests to large hotels with more than 40 rooms, though they will have to apply for special permits that will only be issued in limited numbers.
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi has been pushing for the restrictions all year, despite criticism from the tourism and transport industry.
Raggi described the new law as a “battle won for the citizens”.
Giancarlo Iacuitto from Fiavet Lazio argued that 30 per cent of Rome’s tourism is based on organised and group tours, and that limiting bus access may reduce tourism and affect the city’s economy.
