Cagliari is the Italian metropolitan city where dependence on the private car costs families the most , with an average of 1,078 euros more in twelve months , almost double the national average of around 600 euros.
The data comes from a new study by Clean Cities , the European coalition of over 130 NGOs and associations working towards zero-emission urban mobility by 2035. The research quantifies the cost of car dependence in large Italian urban areas , comparing data on public transport availability and car use, fuel sales volumes recorded by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), vehicle fleets registered by the Automobile Club of Italy (ACI), and variations in pump prices. The results highlight two components of the problem: a structural extra cost , linked to the lack of public transport alternatives comparable to the European average, and a cyclical extra cost , determined by oil price shocks and geopolitical crises. These two factors combine to transform car dependence into an economic burden for families.
THE DATA – Thirteen metropolitan cities were analyzed with a quantification of what the promoters call the "Local Oil Tax," a cost that isn't included among the expenses for essential services but weighs heavily on household budgets and arises from the obligation to use the car where public transportation offers no adequate alternatives. In total, in the areas considered, the figure approaches 5 billion euros over twelve months.
