Repubblica metro station closed since October after escalator accident.

Repubblica metro station in central Rome is expected to open within the first 10 days of May, according to a report in daily Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

The newspaper cites a letter sent from the president of Rome's public transport company, Paolo Simioni, to city hall in December. Simioni was writing in response to a request for information on progress at the metro station which has been closed to the public since 23 October after dozens of people were injured in a major escalator accident.

Simioni blamed the long delay on "waiting for materials" needed for the "replacement of individual parts."

The accident occurred when one of the escalators failed, causing it to accelerate excessively, dragging down about 100 people at speed.

Most of those injured were Russian football fans travelling to see their team CSKA Moscow play against AS Roma. One of the Russian fans reportedly had his foot amputated as a result of the incident.

Traders operating around the Repubblica station area, which includes the shopping street Via Nazionale, have been protesting about the loss in business since the station's closure.

If Repubblica reopens in early May it will have been closed for about 200 days.