Madrid

Madrid Region is a densely populated area in Spain (8,030 km²; 6.8M inhabitants) that includes Spanish capital city (604 km2; 3.2M inhabitants). Madrid Region is characterized by a high population density in its central areas, making transportation within them and between them and the rest of the region of paramount importance. According to findings from the 2021 Mobility Survey conducted by the RACC Mobility Institute, more than 40% of Madrid’s residents express dissatisfaction with the prevailing congestion levels in the capital city. As reported by the Madrid City Hall, the transportation sector is responsible for 41% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the Madrid Municipality (2021), with congestion playing a significant role in contributing to these emissions. Anticipated trends indicate a forthcoming increase in traffic in big cities like Madrid, propelled by both the growth in urban population and a surge in demand for urban passenger and freight mobility (e-commerce). The latter is projected to triple between 2010 and 2050, as per data from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Madrid’s combination of urban, peri-urban and rural settings, the fertile transport innovation ecosystem and the availability of high-quality data sources regarding transport supply and demand makes the region an ideal area to test mobility innovations. The well-developed multimodal transport network of Madrid Region offers promising opportunities to test different load balancing strategies and define multi-actor cooperation frameworks, aimed at reducing traffic congestion and increasing the efficiency of passenger and freight transport operations.

Madrid SYNCHROMODE case study aims to demonstrate solutions for the integration of urban last-mile delivery with public transport services and to coordinate them with other transport modes, enabling more efficient multimodal trip chains. The key ideas are:

• Utilizing the overcapacity of public transport vehicles during off-peak hours for last-mile delivery to reduce delivery-related traffic.
• Designing alternative mode transportation services, such as Shared Mobility (SM) or Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) services, to complement public transport in areas and time periods where they are suitable.

The adoption of the innovative transportation strategies included in this case study offers a range of benefits across social, economic, and environmental dimensions to the Madrid Region. These changes benefit public transport passengers by enhancing accessibility through complementary services like SM and DRT. Public transport operators contribute to environmental benefits through increased vehicle occupancy due to parcel transportation and coordination with other modes, leading to higher efficiency and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and potentially cost savings. Logistic companies also see improvements as they are enabled to transition to more efficient modes of transportation for last-mile delivery, enhancing the well-being of delivery personnel and reducing shipping costs, while also reducing traffic in key corridors and potentially avoiding accidents, contributing to lower Madrid Region traffic congestion and bottlenecks.