The event, organized by CNN Portugal with the support of the Cascais Municipal Council, brought together experts to discuss crucial topics such as housing access, the environmental impact of mobility, and its relationship with urban quality of life. Thomas Ableman, an innovation and transport consultant and former Strategy and Innovation Director at Transport for London, opened the public transport debate, emphasizing the link between mobility, opportunities, and well-being, advocating for universal, integrated, and user-friendly systems that minimize costs and pollution.
Luísa Ferreira focused her intervention on the evolution of public transport in the Lisbon metropolitan area. She highlighted the launch of navegante® in 2019 as a key investment in fare simplification and the creation of Carris Metropolitana for integrated road management. TML, as the transport authority, plays a crucial role in coordinating between the Government and municipalities, promoting metropolitan cohesion and a shared strategic vision.
The TML representative stressed that increasing public transport usage requires continuous investment in supply and demand, with service reliability and real-time information – such as that available on the navegante® app – being fundamental to building trust. The implementation of the metropolitan strategy for 2035, aiming for better inter-municipal connections and addressing diverse mobility needs, was also emphasized.
The debate also addressed public transport free fares. Miguel Casaca, President of Cascais Próxima, shared Cascais' experience, where free travel is funded by parking revenue and has boosted transport use. Thomas Ableman advocated for public transport systems so good they should be paid for, while Luísa Ferreira prioritized defining supply needs before discussing free fares, including coverage for remote areas and new payment methods.
Nuno Lago de Carvalho, CCO of CaetanoBus, discussed the evolution of management models and technological solutions. The overall discussion reinforced the need for an integrated approach to public transport, coordinating investment, supply, demand, technology, and territorial planning for a cohesive metropolitan system prepared for the future.
