Rome pushes to curb booming tourist golf-cart traffic amid resident backlash
City officials in Rome are preparing new rules to limit the surge of electric golf-cart tours that residents say are clogging historic streets.
Tourist-focused electric golf carts have multiplied in Rome, with bookings up 147% since 2024 and an estimated 500 vehicles now roaming the city centre. Residents such as Luigi la Licata of the Monti neighbourhood association describe the influx as the "last straw" of an already congested traffic mix. Deputy mayor Eugenio Patanè is working to obtain regional powers that would let Rome impose fixed tour routes, limit the total number of carts and create a licensing system.
Operators, including the Metur association led by Pascal van Duijnhoven, claim the carts are a quiet, low-emission alternative to traditional vans and seek official support. Enforcement has already seen 14 carts stopped in August, with drivers facing fines up to 4,000 euros. Taxi and private-hire drivers accuse the new tours of siphoning business and have lodged numerous complaints. The city hopes the forthcoming regulations will balance tourism demand with the preservation of historic streets.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights how unchecked tourist transport can strain historic city centres and force new urban mobility policies.
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