The theme of mobility and connections internally and with the continent is fundamental for the lives of citizens, the economic and tourist activities of a large island like Sardinia. Not to mention that in a context like the Sardinian one, characterized by a small and scattered population and strong seasonality of movements, the risk of isolation is even more concrete, especially in less populated internal areas.
The transport system in Sardinia stands out for some critical issues, but also for strengths that indicate an improving general scenario. If on the one hand, in fact, internal mobility is notable for some infrastructural deficits, especially regarding roads and railways which should be strengthened, on the other hand there is no shortage of air connections with the rest of Italy and Europe. In fact, precisely in terms of passengers transported there was a boom in the first seven months of 2023.
Among the most significant indicators emerges that the private car is decidedly preferred over public transport and other private vehicles, that hybrid cars are growing strongly, that traffic is not a particular problem and in fact the Sardinian capitals record levels of pollution from public and private transport rather limited.
Sardinians go to work by car
Sardinians prefer to use a private car to go to work with a percentage of around 6 points higher than the average of other Italian regions (76.6 versus 70.9, ISTAT 2022 data). A number slightly decreasing compared to 2021 when they were 77.3. Only 2.7 of employed people aged 15 and over choose tram or bus (Italian average 3.9) and only 0.2 go to work by train (Italian average 2.8).
Istat data also indicates a low propensity to use other private means of transport. In 2022, 1.6 of employed people use motorbikes or scooters to go to work, exactly half the Italian average, while only 1.4 go to work riding a bicycle, a percentage, however, higher than to the average of the Southern regions which stands at 1%.
On the contrary, with reference to the time taken to go to work, things are going decidedly better for the citizens of the island than in the rest of Italy. 43.3% of employed people take less than 15 minutes to reach their workplace, compared to 35.6% of the Italian average, only 7.1% take over half an hour, less than half compared to other workers on the peninsula .
Roads in poor condition, but little traffic
Among the main critical issues reported by citizens regarding mobility and traffic in their area of residence, Istat notes that in 2022 the road network is in decidedly or fairly bad condition for 59.1% of Sardinian citizens, ten points more than the national average and also what was detected in 2021 (49.3%).
In contrast, however, the data relating to traffic is perceived as a very or fairly recurring problem by only 37.6% of citizens of Sardinia, compared to the average of 41.1% of the regions of Southern Italy and 43.5% of Sicily. , to make a comparison with the other large Italian island.
Sardinian citizens do not declare any particular problems regarding the difficulties of connecting with public transport. In 2022, only 25.6% highlight problems related to public transport, more than five points below the Italian average (30.7%) and almost 12 points less than the percentage recorded in Sicily (37.5%).
Public transport, Cagliari among the best in Italy
According to the data reported in the Ecosistema Urbano Legambiente 2023 report, which analyzes various indicators of the environmental performance of 105 Italian provincial capitals, Cagliari is among the best medium-sized cities and with 16th place overall for public transport, with particular reference to distance traveled per vehicle per inhabitant (52.8).
Also in the data relating to the passenger/inhabitant ratio, Cagliari stands out with 17th place overall, with a ratio of 151.3. Excellent placing also for Sassari, 21st with a ratio of 101.9. Nuoro, on the other hand, does poorly, ranking 64th with 56.4, Oristano 82nd with 19.
As regards the motorisation rate, i.e. the number of cars in circulation, all the provincial capitals of Sardinia are more than half of the general ranking. Cagliari is 65th with 68.1 cars per 100 inhabitants, Sassari 74th with 69.8, Oristano 84th with 72 and Nuoro 98th with 77.2.
More and more hybrid and electric cars
In terms of private vehicles with low environmental impact, Sardinia, with 42.7 out of 1,000 cars in circulation, is rather behind the national average (123.5), but also the average of the Southern regions (93.1). The Istat data relating to 2021, however, is due to the very low number of gas/bi-fuel cars, while hybrid and electric cars are significantly increasing on the island.
In fact, the data indicates in Sardinia only 24.8 for every 1,000 gas/bi-fuel cars in circulation, compared to an Italian average of 94.6 and the South of 78.3. On the contrary, there are 15.7 hybrid cars for every 1,000 cars in circulation, compared to the average of 13.1 in the South, and 2.2 electric cars for every 1,000 cars in circulation, half a point higher than the average in the South.
The transition towards low environmental impact vehicles on the Island has been particularly significant in the last 3 years. Hybrid cars circulating in 2021 have in fact increased almost five times compared to 2019 and by over nine percentage points from 2020 to 2021. Even better are electric cars which increased almost six times in the period considered.
The boom in air and sea transport
In the three airports of the island – Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero – and in the four main ports – Cagliari, Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Porto Torres – the period January-July 2023 marked record numbers with over 4.1 million passengers transported, landed and embarked, over 300 thousand more than in the same period of 2022 (Sardinia Region data August 2023).
Numbers that go beyond even 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. In particular, from January to July 2023, arrivals in the four ports of Cagliari, Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Porto Torres were 1,446,630 (of which almost 1.1 million in July alone), against 1,345,231 in the same period in 2022 and 1,346,729 in 2019.
Traffic at Sardinian airports in the first seven months of the year amounted to 5,263,147 passengers transported (of which 1,534,813 in July 2023), compared to 4,822,850 in the same period of 2022 and 4,941,211 of 2019. It goes without saying that the record numbers are largely connected to tourism and traffic recorded on the island, especially in the summer months.
Sardinian capitals among the least polluted
In the cities of Sardinia the air quality is good, especially in Sassari and Oristano where lower concentrations of pollutants are recorded. This is stated by the data relating to pollution from public and private transport published in the Legambiente Urban Ecosystem 2023 report.
In particular, the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), one of the pollutants produced by vehicular traffic, in the Sardinian capitals are among the lowest recorded in Italian cities. Oristano is placed in 7th place overall out of 105 capitals with an average annual concentration of 12.5 ug/m3, Nuoro and Sassari in 9th and 10th place with 13 ug/m3, Cagliari 12th with 13.2 ug/m3 , a figure that corresponds to less than half of other medium-sized cities such as Brescia or Bologna.
The data on the concentrations of fine dust, in particular PM10, the so-called particulate matter, a product of the combustion of internal combustion engines, sees Sassari as the most virtuous Sardinian city, even in second place nationally with an average annual concentration of 14 ug/m3. Not very well, however, Nuoro 45th with 22 ug/m3, Cagliari 55th with 23.3 ug/m3 and Oristano 70th with 26.5 ug/m3.
Regional transport policies
The theme of aerial territorial continuity is central to the economic development of Sardinia and to allow citizens to move around the national and community territory. In this direction, the Region requested and obtained the Government’s support to increase the frequency of connections, especially in the winter months, as well as a cap on non-resident tariffs. With the approval of the “link” to the Financial Maneuver, 25 million euros were granted divided over three years for new routes to and from Sardinian airports.
Among the objectives of the current regional legislature there is also the strengthening of road and rail mobility with intermodal integration and connections to provide the island with efficient connection routes between internal areas and coastal areas. A resolution of the regional council in June 2023 gave the green light to the creation of a network made up of intermodal passenger centers and ARST railway stations, providing for unitary management of these infrastructures.
At the end of October 2023, the Regional Council approved the local public transport reform which provides for a single mobility basin, managed by an entity participated by the Region, Provinces, Metropolitan Cities and Municipalities, aimed at the development of an integrated and functional transport system for people’s mobility needs and the environmental, economic and financial sustainability of public transport services.
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