Impending deadlines, reforms to be approved, and a system awaiting revolution. These will be important months for Sardinian transport. The service contract between the Region and transport companies expires on December 31st; in the meantime, the Department of Transport is aiming to complete the legislative process for the reform. Among the options on the table is a technical extension, necessary to cover the time needed to complete the process for new contracts. This was the focus of Thursday's meeting at the former Manifattura, attended by the island's two largest companies: Regional Councilor Barbara Manca, Cagliari Mayor Massimo Zedda, and Regional Councilor and member of the Transport Commission Gianluigi Piano.

The project is part of a broader reorganization of local public transport, which must meet both a growing demand for mobility and address the infrastructure gap that still characterizes Sardinia, especially in inland areas. This is the context in which discussions between the Region, companies, and sector operators are taking place.

"There's an ever-increasing demand for services among residents, and we need to make it a reality. We're continuing to think in this direction," explains CTM President Fabrizio Rodin. "We're asked daily to extend our lines to other municipalities, but contracts govern these decisions. Coordinated work between the various public transport companies is essential: urban and suburban transport are two sides of the same coin."

The issue of resources is also on the table. The Region currently invests approximately €170 million annually in local public transport, a figure that operators say is insufficient compared to the increased demand and the goal of expanding the service. "If we had even €100 million more, we would already know where and how to allocate it," explains Barbara Manca. Piano adds: "If demand is greater, these funds are not enough; we need to invest more. The goal is to increase frequency, achieve greater coverage in inland areas, and improve integration between the various networks to ensure more reliable services. The transport sector is not just about mobility, but also about the environment, jobs, and can even be a weapon against depopulation."

On the reform front, however, the councilor clarifies: "We're not yet able to precisely define the duration of the technical extension, but depending on how prepared the institutions and stakeholders are, we may be able to complete the first contracts as early as next year."

The sole director of ARST also weighed in on the system's future, stressing the need for comprehensive oversight of the reform: "Everything we see today was designed several years ago, when the needs were very different. Today, the picture has changed: the number of workers and seniors is increasing, while the student population is decreasing." For Giovanni Mocci, the challenge is to "strengthen public transport governance without disrupting existing actors, who are competent and already structured," focusing on integration tools such as "a single ticket and shared digital platforms," and the development of intermodal centers.

In closing, Cagliari Mayor Massimo Zedda addressed the overall impact of mobility: "We need to understand how to intervene, considering the number of vehicles in circulation and their impact on quality of life. The right to mobility means ensuring better connections between Sardinians, and can also help combat depopulation. Approximately 180,000 vehicles enter Cagliari every day, a very high number: reducing it means fewer accidents and also an overall economic saving for the city and the entire island."

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