Italy regulator probes Rome bus and metro company over poor service

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's competition authority, which also polices consumer rights, said on Tuesday it was investigating Rome's bus and metro company Atac over poor service.

The probe for "possible unfair commercial practices" focuses on Atac allegedly not meeting quality standards agreed with Rome covering 2021-2023, the authority said in a statement.

The company failed to meet targets for punctuality, the functioning of escalators and lifts, and providing security guards at metro stations, among other factors, the regulator said.

Atac, which is owned by Rome's municipality and offers its services via a contract, did not have an immediate comment.

Under Italian law, breaches of consumer rights rules may lead to company fines ranging from 5,000 euros ($5,230) to 10 million euros.

Public transport in Rome is notoriously inefficient, and has been under additional pressure with this year's Catholic Holy Year, which is expected to bring up to 32 million tourists to the so-called Eternal City.

Atac did not take "adequate corrective measures to address the repeated deficiencies, nor measures to adjust or partially refund the fares charged, given the potential disruptions to consumers," the regulator said.

In 2018, more than 20 people were hurt, mostly CSKA Moscow soccer fans, as an escalator broke down in a metro station in central Rome. In recent years, there have also been numerous Atac buses catching fire.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini and Gianluca Semeraro; Editing by Bernadette Baum)