Venetians may no longer wake up to the dulcet tones of ”just one cornetto” as the mayor of Venice plans to ban serenaders on gondolas during the morning rush hour in an effort to stop collisions on increasingly congested waterways.
A recent spate of serious boat crashes — one in which a baby almost drowned — has forced the issue of traffic control to the top of the Venice authorities’ agenda.
Under new regulations, the mayor, Paolo Costa, plans to establish time bands and speed lanes in the Grand Canal and the city’s other main arteries.
Commercial deliveries by water would be allowed between 10am and 11am, gondolas with musicians would take to the waves from 11am onwards and the taxis and tourist boats would be diverted through less busy backwaters. Gondola rides, with or without musical accompaniment, may be restricted to certain times of day.
Tourists can currently pay for a gondola ride, complete with costumed singer, at any hour of the day. But waterborne serenades are considered a hazard, as they tend to generate lingering ”shoals” of gondolas full of enchanted foreigners during the city’s commuter rush hour.
The proposals may come into force next month. But the time bands have gone down badly with the gondoliers, who find themselves buffeted by more businesslike, motor-powered boats. – Guardian Unlimited Â