Insular regions and MaaS concept. Assessing spatial accessibility in Sardinia (Italy)

Multiple and permanent disadvantages and social inequalities often make insular contexts more vulnerable to contingent and structural phenomena. The principle of insularity, which is already recognized in EU legislation and in the Italian constitution, requires a specific political strategy and action priorities. The Sardinia Region (Italy) represents an interesting case study for implementing these principles. As a matter of fact, despite numerous attempts to guarantee territorial continuity, the geographical isolation still represents the greatest cost for the Sardinian population compared to the rest of Italians. Here, internal mobility is also threatened by significant gaps in transport infrastructure. It is estimated that travel times for moving within the island are among the highest in Italy, thus aggravating the condition of insularity and the phenomenon of depopulation, especially in the inner areas. Within this framework, the quality of the transport system becomes a determining factor in improving connectivity, reducing travel times and, therefore, creating the conditions for a renewed well-being and prosperity for local community and city users. The present study, which is part of the “e.INS – Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia” project, proposes a methodological approach to better organize the transport offer to and from Sardinia and within the regional territory, extending Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions also to contexts of weak demand, enhancing sustainable mobility.