The city council is hoping to encourage shoppers heading to Rome1s city centre during the festive period to leave their cars behind, with the following arrangements in force 6-23 Dec. For more information tel. 060606, or see www.comune.roma.it/mobilita.

* Roads in the historic centre that are usually off-limits for cars of non-residents until 18.30 will be closed 06.30-20.00, Mon-Sat. Sun and holidays there will be no restrictions.

* Free shuttle buses will run 16.00-20.30 Mon-Fri, and 10.00-20.30 Sat-Sun, holidays and 22-23 Dec.

Sh1 - Piazzale della Radio near Trastevere station to the former Mercati Generali near Ostiense station

Sh2 - Cipro metro stop north-west of the Vatican to Piazza Augusto Imperatore in the centre

Sh3 - Piazza Stazione del Lido at Ostia's train station to Via dell1Idroscalo, in the northern part of Ostia

Sh4 - Anagnina metro stop near Cinecitt to Viale della Sorbona in the Tor Vergata area

Sh5 - Ostiense Air Terminal to Piazza S. Silvestro in the centre

* Shopping express lines will connect

Linea Tor de1 Cenci in the Spinaceto area in the south of Rome to the Farnesina parking facilities

Linea Largo Reduzzi near Corviale to Viale Giulio Cesare in Prati

* There will be extra services on the following bus lines:

170, 20, 451, 60, 791, 70, 32, 85, 80, 87, 90, 2, 8, 545,116.

* The park-and-ride car parks at the former Mercati Generali and at the Ostiense Air Terminal will be free and serviced by the shopping shuttles Sh1 and Sh5 respectively.

* The park-and-ride car parks at Laurentina, Saxa Rubra, Anagnina, Ponte Mammolo and Magliana will be free on Sat, Sun and holidays, and if you leave your car at one of them you
two BIT public transport tickets for the price of one.