It's back to private cars: sustainable mobility and local public transport are once again giving way to the vehicle "most loved by Italians." This data emerges from the 19th Audimob Mobility Report by Isfort and CNEL, published in December 2022.
With an infrastructural endowment far below the EU average – practically half – in 2022, Italians got back behind the wheel. In the last two years, walking trips have decreased by 14%. Public transport fared even worse: by the end of 2022, passengers had decreased by -21% compared to 2019, and by the end of 2023, a 12% reduction in demand compared to the pre-Covid scenario is predicted.
The provision of urban railway networks, necessary to reduce travel times with public transport, is also below the European average. The percentages are concerning: 40% fewer subways, 50% fewer tram networks and suburban railway lines. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the motorization rate in our country is 67.2%, one of the highest in Europe, with 40 million cars in circulation on our roads.
Are we returning to private cars? A turning point is needed, and soon. The PNRR, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, foresees an investment of over 60 billion euros for the ecological transition. This measure also includes resources for the renewal of local public transport, such as the purchase of less polluting buses; currently, the average age of buses in Italy is about three years older than the European average.
Choosing public transport represents a valid alternative for sustainability. The numbers are clear. According to Ispra, in 2019, buses produced 3.1% of total transport emissions, compared to 68.7% for cars and 25% for commercial vehicles. Trains stopped at 0.1%. And in cities, where cycle paths, bike sharing, and dedicated lanes allow it, cycling can be an option; not to mention that walking can sometimes be faster, and is certainly healthier.
