The end of the car city in Portugal

Abstract

Car dependency in Portugal shows rapid growth in the last 30 years. The increase on motorization rate, the expansion of motorway network and urban sprawl have contributed to the rapid increase in the importance of using the car for daily journeys, marking a new territorial organisation, less dense and disperse. At the same time, there has been a reduction in the use of public transport, which was unable to compete in terms of speed and response to new demands. In recent years we have seen a profound transformation in the organisation and supply of public transport, as well the development of initiatives for the integration of active modes in daily mobility and to get the car out from city centres. These changes give us a more optimistic outlook for reducing car dependency in Portuguese cities.