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Rome’s public transport operator, Atac, has committed to refunding passengers money for poor service.
The announcement from Italy’s competition authority on Wednesday ended an investigation into the publicly run body.
The regulator started its investigation in FebruaryAtack is being investigated for “potential unfair commercial practices” over alleged failures to meet quality standards between 2021 and 2023.
Specific issues highlighted included lack of punctuality, faulty escalators and lifts and inadequate security personnel at metro stations.
The investigation has now ended after Atac pledged to allocate more than €3 million (£2.6 million) to refund annual ticket holders.
However, they will receive only a small fraction of their payment.
It says annual ticket holders through 2024 will each get €5, and annual travel pass holders in any year between 2021 and 2023 will be given an additional €5.
The annual pass costs €250 excluding concessions.
Atac will also introduce a new mobile app offering partial refunds to users in the event of a delay of more than 15 minutes on regular bus, tram or metro services.
Public transport in Rome is notoriously inefficient, but Atac told the regulator it has improved thanks to the EU’s post-Covid fund and government funding to prepare for this year’s reopening. Catholic Holy Year,
The special event, usually held every 25 years, is expected to attract 32 million tourists to the city during 2025.
Atac, which is owned by the municipality of Rome, said it was carrying out “a major renovation of its assets and processes, which is seeing improvements throughout its operations”.
As part of its commitments, Atac has also promised to hire more staff at metro stations and train existing personnel with an annual investment of €2.6 million, the authority said.
Atack had no comment on the regulator’s announcements.