A preliminary hearing in the trial over the collapse of the Genoa bridge, which killed 43 people and highlighted Italy's decaying infrastructure, will be held on October 15.

The trial is expected to focus largely on the role of Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI), the private motorway operator accused of failing to maintain the major viaduct properly.

The Genoa prosecutors' list includes top ASPI executives, including former CEO Giovanni Castellucci, and top managers from engineering company Spea.

Both companies are subsidiaries of Italian infrastructure group Atlantia, which is controlled by the Benetton family.

The Benetton family has faced strong pressure since the Genoa bridge collapse to leave the business of running Italy's highways, and they recently agreed to put ASPI back into public hands. 

At the hearing, a judge will decide whether or not to accept requests by prosecutors to try 59 people on various charges of manslaughter and negligence.

A section of the Morandi highway collapsed during heavy rain in August 2018, hurling dozens of cars and several trucks onto railway tracks below.

Potential defendants also include officials within the transport ministry, who prosecutors say were aware of the risks.

In their final report on their investigation into the disaster, published in April, prosecutors highlighted "incomplete" and "inadequate" inspections, according to news reports. 

They noted, for example, that the bridge piers were inspected from below, using binoculars, rather than from up close.

On June 12, Atlantia said it signed a deal to sell its 88% stake in ASPI to a consortium led by state-backed investment bank CDP for €9.3 billion, leading to the de facto renationalisation of Italian motorways.

Correction: A previous version misstated the year of the bridge's collapse.