Background

In Italy, there is not a national regulation on the provision of parking lots reserved for pregnant women or women travelling with children. The art.7 of the Italian highway code allows the municipalities to manage the distribution and set the parking fares in their territory. The absence of a national regulation on this topic leaves the proposal of a measure to the regions and the municipalities. The ‘pink parkings’ are also called courtesy parkings, as drivers should be made aware and give way in the privileged parking place to pregnant women or newly mothers. The procedure usually starts with some politicians willing to present a proposal of the initiative in the governing body as a policy document. Then, if the municipal administration approves the proposal, the City Council deliberates and adopts a resolution allowing the creation of ‘pink parking’ spaces, commonly in specific areas. The final step involves an Ordinance of the local police officer that formalises the location of those parking spots and how they can be identified (pink stripes, road sign, etc).

Goal

Facilitating the finding of a parking space for pregnant women and women travelling with small children.

Measure

Setting up parking lots for women is not difficult and does not involve significant costs. Cost include horizontal and vertical markings and suggestive graphics and texts to inform current and future mothers about the availability of the respective parking lots. Municipalities can decide to provide a special permit to park in those spots after the provision of proper documentation at the Authorizations Office of the Municipal Police Department. Fine can be given to drivers who do not leave the space to whoever has the right, due to the absence of an official regulation.

Sources:

[1] Summary of the decisions taken during Liguria’s Regional Council on 30 January 2018.
https://www.regione.liguria.it/consiglio/archivio-comunicati-stampa-del-consiglio/item/17850-lavori-consiglio-regionale-marted%C3%AC-30-gennaio-pomeriggio.html

[2] Piece of news reporting on the approval of “pink parkings” by the Legislative Assembly of Liguria.
https://www.ivg.it/2018/01/sosta-agevolazioni-le-neo-mamme-approvato-ordine-del-giorno/

[3] Potenza city’s Ordinance approving the creation of “pink parkings”.
http://www.comune.potenza.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ordinanza-361.pdf

[4] Catania municipality’s application to obtain a “pink parking” pass.
https://www.comune.catania.it/il-comune/uffici/polizia-municipale/modulistica/allegati/20150424-istanza-rich-pass-rosa.pdf