Atlantia to discuss motorways demerger, Telepass on Thursday – sources

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s Atlantia will hold a board meeting on Thursday to discuss splitting off its motorway assets from the group, two sources close with the matter said, as it presses ahead with a plan to part ways with its Autostrade per l’Italia unit.

The sources also said the infrastructure group was expected to give a short extension to exclusive talks with Partners group for the sale of its toll-road payment business Telpass.

Atlantia was not immediately available for comment.

Atlantia owns 88% in Autostrade, which runs half of Italy’s motorway network, with Germany’s Allianz and China’s Silk Road holding the rest.

The reorganisation of Atlantia’s motorway assets is at the centre of tough negotiations between the group and Italian state lender CDP to end a dispute triggered by the deadly collapse of a bridge run by Autostrade.

(Reporting by Stephen Jewkes; editing by Francesca Landini)