Rome's city authorities are moving against the last remaining horse-drawn carriages in the historic centre, stepping up plans to replace them with taxis, according to local media.
Of the once-numerous "botticelle" - as the carriages are known in Italian - only 16 operators remain, and they have so far refused or delayed converting their licences into taxi permits, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Rome is now pursuing a combination of incentives and pressure to push through the transition.
The city is currently examining whether sponsorship funding could be used to help buy cars for the carriage drivers to use as replacements, according to the report.
The aim is to make the switch more attractive while gradually phasing out the traditional carriage trade. Animal welfare organizations are said to have already signalled their willingness to help source vehicles.
The use of carriages is already heavily restricted, particularly during the summer months. A ban on their operation generally applies when temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius, with rides permitted only in the early morning and evening hours.
Animal welfare groups have criticised the practice for years as outdated, pointing to the strain placed on the horses by heavy traffic and heat.
Should the remaining carriage drivers still refuse to switch to taxi operation despite the financial support on offer, the city intends to increase pressure through stricter checks.
"We will put a patrol behind every carriage to check for violations," Patrizia Prestipino, Rome's animal welfare commissioner, told Corriere della Sera.
