The latest data from Blimp in Sole24Ore
According to the latest evidence on pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the Milan Metropolitan Area, yellow zone travel in recent weeks has returned to September and October 2020 levels, increasing risk factors in the city. Now, will the recent switch to orange zone be enough to limit travel?
March 1 was the first day of a new orange zone for Lombardy. After three weeks in the yellow zone, in fact, on Monday the Region’s residents woke up to new bans and restrictions to abide by, in order to contain what looks for all intents and purposes like another surge in contagions. But is intensifying the Region’s color from yellow to orange enough to limit citizens’ movements?
In recent weeks, the Blimp team, which examines real-time data on the flows of people and vehicles in the Milan Metropolitan Area, with a view to providing the municipal administration with a decision-making and management tool for local public transport, has detected an increase in risk factors in the city. This is reported by Michela Finizio in Sole24Ore, in an article documenting the latest evidence provided by the Milan-based company. The first relevant data: in mid-February, travel in Milan has returned to the levels of September and October2020.
Increased traffic and time slots:
But when did we get out the most? Definitely around lunchtime, during which there was an increase in the traffic of people and vehicles in both the central areas of the city as well as in the “movida” areas and road junctions.
Pedestrian traffic data, then, showed a propensity for gatherings in the aperitif time slot, which have come to replace the now inaccessible classic dinner parties.
Interestingly, in general, when there is yellow or orange zone, pedestrian flows are mostly related to weather than to actual restrictions. Translated: if the weather is good, people go out more.
Resumption of activities and risk factors
Another data point of curiosity is the following: during the first two yellow zone weeks of 2021, traffic on road junctions increased significantly compared to the two “yellow weeks” in December 2020, possibly due to a resumption of office work activities. Could this be the beginning of the end of smart working?
Finally, it is worth noting that the different transitions from yellow to orange zone (and vice versa) did not have a strong impact on the flows of people and vehicles: in the city of Milan, specifically, there is no difference in this regard.
Meaning. That the only measures that can really reduce movement and, consequently, the risks of people-to-people contact are the red zone, lockdown and curfew. The coming weeks, in this regard, could prove decisive.
To view the article click here.