Local councils of several small towns and villages in Lazio have protested to the regional government about a new ruling which allows taxis and hire cars to take passengers from the locality where their licence is issued but does not allow them to pick up passengers in other places.

This means, for example, that a taxi or hire car with a licence in Tivoli may take a passenger from Tivoli to Rome but then may not pick up the same passenger in Rome for the return journey, or any other passenger to any other destination.

The ruling was made to help protect taxi and hire car operators in Rome from competition from out of town, where it is often easier and cheaper to get a licence.