Hanno accesso libero: Can access the Ecopass area freely (no payment required)

2. auto e veicoli merci a benzina Euro 3 e Euro 4 o più recenti – petrol cars/goods vehicles that are Euro 4 or Euro 3 or a more recent class
3. auto e veicoli merci diesel Euro 4 o più recenti con filtro antiparticolato omologato – diesel cars/goods vehicles that are Euro 4 or a more recent class – with an antiparticle filter
4. auto e merci diesel Euro 4 senza filtro antiparticolato omologato (esentati per tre mesi a partire dal 2 gennaio 2008) – diesel cars/goods vehicles that are Euro 4 or a more recent class that are without an antiparticle filter (are exempt for three months starting from the 2 January 2008)

In summary, if you have an Euro 4 petrol or diesel car, you do not have to pay. On the other hand, diesel Euro 4 cars without a special filter do not have to pay for the first three months of 2008, then, I imagine, a payment will need to be made, unless you can have a filter fitted, possibly.

Hope that helps – but do check that my translations/interpretations are correct – I do not want to be responsible for you getting a fine!

All the best,

Alex

Before I was working in the Hinterland, I always used public transport which I find very good. Now, however, I find I cannot easily get to work without a car. Lots of buses, trains, etc. into town – not so many out of town. Still, at the weekend, unless we have to leave Milan, we never use the car. Why would you when the public transport can get you where you want to go?

Thanks for dropping in.

I’m not sure about the Ecopass thing being premature, more like a bit too late. That said, it’s here now, and although it is milking money from commuters, hopefully, the money will go towards improving the mass transit systems to which you refer.

Personally, I’d like to see the Ecopass area made even larger – BUT only if the mass transit systems are considerably improved. In theory, the Ecopass will make it easier for buses and trams to move around. Incidentally, the driver of a taxi I took on Thursday said that traffic levels were down.

Moving back to the transport systems, Milan also needs many more parking areas on the edge of the city, so that commuters can leave their cars there and use the metro etc to get to work. Free car parking would be best, too.

And keeping as many cars as possible out of the centre will also mean that mass transit moves much more efficiently, and could possibly turn out to be more convenient that using a car (no parking fines, no problems finding and paying for parking spaces etc).

With a little luck your trip into Milan and back may become quicker. We’ll see.

All the best,

Alex

PS Your writing is good. Yes, there are some typos, but slowing down and using a spell checker, like the one I use which is built into Firefox, will make a lot of difference.