Author(s)

Fabio Borghetti, Michela Longo, Renato Mazzoncini, Claudio Somaschini, Leonardo Cesarini & Luigi Contestabile

Abstract

In Europe, urban areas represent the “engine” of economic growth and employment in a territory: about 85% of the EU’s GDP (gross domestic product) is generated in european cities. Several European cities, due to the extensive economic activities in urban areas, have to deal with and manage issues related to or caused by transport and mobility such as congestion, air pollution, safety and noise pollution. In 2010, for example, about 73% of European citizens lived in urban areas; this percentage is estimated to increase to more than 80% by 2050. In addition to the direct impact generated by traffic, urban mobility can also influence social development, social exclusion, and accessibility for people with reduced mobility. Consequently, the need to adopt sustainable transport systems is now a global goal that can no longer be postponed. To promote sustainable mobility models, current planning strategies have used smart growth interventions to move from mono-centric city structures to poly-centric, more localized configurations. For example, the idea of the 15-minute city is gradually growing in importance from both a policy and social perspective. The basis of the idea is the promotion of interventions to increase the supply of local services, such as schools, public transportation systems, health care facilities, dining facilities, jobs, recreation areas, and retail stores. In this way, local areas are created that are sustainable, inclusive, and walkable within a small radius on foot or by bicycle. Starting from these considerations, the aim of this work is to apply the idea of the city in 15 min to railway stations: in this perspective, the railway station becomes the starting point of the analysis as it represents the “door of the house”, from where users start their last mile trips after getting off the train. For some railway stations located in Northern Italy, an analytical index has been defined that summarizes the characteristics of the station in relation to the territory in which it is located. In this way, it is possible to classify the stations on the one hand and, on the other, to identify and propose improvements aimed at relaunching the role of a railway station in a territory.

Keywords

15-minute city, 15-minute stations, environmental sustainability, GIS, mobility, railway station, smart mobility, transportation planning, transportation, urban mobility