MILAN, Jan 31 — An 11-year-old schoolboy who did not have money for a bus fare surcharge introduced for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics was forced to walk 6 kilometres (3.8 miles) home in sub-zero snowy weather, his family said on Friday.
The story of Riccardo Z has attracted nationwide media coverage, including on the front page of Italy’s biggest circulation daily, Corriere della Sera, amid concern about price gouging for the February 6-22 Games.
Local transport company Dolomiti Bus has hiked the daily fare for a bus route to Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the Olympics venues, to 10 euros (RM47.05), in return for more frequent services during the Olympics and the March 6-15 Paralympics.
The bus fare surcharge, running from January 23 to March 17, has hit occasional users like Riccardo, but does not apply to annual or monthly ticket holders or people with Winter Games accreditation passes.
The boy boarded the bus on Tuesday on his way back from school with a bundle of regular 2.5-euro tickets, but was pushed away by the driver after he could not come up with the cash for the higher fare.
“The driver told him, if you don’t have the money, you have to get off and walk home… he didn’t even let him pay with four of his bundle tickets,” the boy’s grandmother said.
Balbinot, a lawyer, has filed a complaint before the local prosecutor’s office for the crime of child abandonment.
She said her grandson got home wet, freezing and traumatised after walking on an icy cycle path by the main road but was now doing fine.
The bus company said it had set up a commission to “rigorously” examine what had happened, and that the driver employed by a subcontractor had been suspended.
Balbinot said there was a wider issue about locals being burdened with extra costs for the Olympics.
“I can understand having different rates for tourists and visitors, but that residents only guilty of being caught in the middle of Olympic traffic should also pay extra… is unfathomable.” — Reuters
Winter Olympic fare hike sparks outrage: Italian boy, 11, forced off bus, walks 6km in icy conditions
