Mobility in Portuguese cities is changing, pressurised by environmental, demographic and social issues. It is believed that integrated information networks and systems, enhanced by technology, are the solution for moving people from A to B in an efficient manner using more means of public transport and fewer automobiles.
While digitisation has provided new opportunities for the urban mobility sector, no less important is the progress registered in individual and complementary means of mass transport, such as, among others, the promotion of the use of the bicycle, the expansion of electronic transport platforms (Uber, Bolt, Kapten) and the latest changes in fares, such as the Navegante pass. A solution that Rosário Macário, a professor of transport at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources at Instituto Superior Técnico, views with moderate optimism: “This measure has major social impacts and, if associated with information systems, is an excellent opportunity for collective transport. However, I believe other action is necessary to ensure citizens are induced to abandon their normal means of travel [private automobiles] – which is part of both their social and cultural habits – and to begin using public transport.” Measures which are largely based on the long-term vision of public policy makers, comprising multidisciplinary, concerted and integrated activities within the scope of education and land planning, in addition to fiscal and social measures.
A CULTURAL ISSUE
According to this researcher, the ongoing “revolution” in urban mobility began when we started to think of mobility as a system, and not as a series of means of transport, with the aim of having a provider of mobility services capable of gathering and managing all the information on the services available: “This is a major change with regard to the utility, good practices and advantages to the user.” However, she adds: “None of this will suffice if citizens are not well-informed on what is available.” Furthermore, “our entire cultural system needs to be changed, which is not happening due to a lack of education geared to our citizens, and without which it will be hard to change. This is one of our biggest shortcomings”.
As far as the director of the Master's Degree in Transport Systems at Instituto Superior Técnico is concerned, working on innovation in Portugal isn´t easy. Here, with a model of an aerial vehicle, which has several different uses, invented by her students. An idea that has already been patented, but which still lacks funding for development
Moreover, Rosário Macário is of the opinion that, unlike most developed countries, above all in northern Europe, Portugal also lacks a long-term vision in relation to this issue. “We need to govern beyond the four-year mandate of the legislatures and think about what we want to be and where we want to be in 20 years' time, and what is required to achieve this. We are experiencing a time of meaningful change, where so much is happening, however this positive moment may not achieve its potential unless integrated decisions are made within a timeframe of at least twenty years.”
If we look at the map of national urban mobility, we see that many cities in the north and south of the country are developing projects with a view to a more efficient and people- and eco-friendly future. This is the case of Aveiro, Cascais, Coimbra, Faro, Guimarães, Lisbon, Porto and Viseu, among others. The path has been paved, and all we need to do now is to keep following it.