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23 May 2026

Towards Sustainable Urban Mobility in Medium-Sized Cities: A Multi-Actor and Multi-Criteria Comparative Analysis

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1
Department of Construction, School of Technology, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
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Transport Research Centre—TRANSyT, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Institute for Systems Engineering and Computers of Coimbra (INESCC), 3030-290 Coimbra, Portugal
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Polytechnic School of Technology and Management of Oliveira do Hospital, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, 3400-124 Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal
Sustainability2026, 18(11), 5257;https://doi.org/10.3390/su18115257 
(registering DOI)
This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Transport Planning: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

The transition towards sustainable urban mobility requires planning approaches that integrate accessibility, social inclusion, environmental quality, and stakeholder preferences, particularly in medium-sized cities, where mobility challenges differ from those of large metropolitan areas. However, comparative evidence on how different stakeholder groups prioritize sustainable mobility strategies in such cities remains limited. This paper addresses this gap by applying a comparative Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA) to two medium-sized European cities: Cáceres, Spain, and Coimbra, Portugal. The analysis involved five stakeholder groups (citizens, entrepreneurs, public institutions, mobility operators, and academics) and used a common framework comprising five objectives, fifteen sub-objectives, and eight strategic alternatives for each city. The results show that both cities share strong priorities related to accessibility for vulnerable groups, safety, environmental quality, and public space. However, their preferred strategic pathways differ. In Coimbra, the highest support is associated with pedestrian infrastructure, public space improvements, and integrated spatial planning, whereas in Cáceres, the leading priorities are public transport connectivity, territorial integration, and accessibility for vulnerable groups. The study confirms the usefulness of MAMCA as a transferable decision-support framework for incorporating stakeholder preferences into sustainable mobility planning.

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