The 3rd Transport and Logistics Conference, organized by Madridiario under the theme ‘Travelers, Goods, and a Transformation System’, gathered key sector figures at the Official College of Architects of Madrid (COAM) to discuss current and future mobility challenges in the capital.
Sigfrido Herráez, dean of COAM, acted as host and highlighted the need for a future-oriented approach to mobility, citing drone distribution systems already operational in China as an example. Herráez noted the evolution of the term from 'traffic commissioner' to 'mobility commissioner', reflecting a paradigm shift in urban planning.
The importance of coordinating urban planning and mobility was emphasized, a strategy currently employed by the City Council of Madrid to manage the city's growth and ensure efficient public transport networks in new developments like Los Ahijones and Los Berrocales.
Borja Carabante, delegate for Urbanism, Mobility, and Environment of the City Council of Madrid, inaugurated the event, defining mobility as the "main instrument for transforming, growing, and developing cities." He highlighted Madrid's "cutting-edge" transport system, a result of collaboration between the City Council and the Community of Madrid through the Regional Transport Consortium, which handles approximately 15 million daily journeys.
Carabante mentioned ongoing projects such as Metro enhancements by the Community of Madrid and major urban interventions like the A-5 underpass, the transformation of the Castellana axis, and the Parque Ventas project. He stressed that Madrid has successfully balanced mobility with environmental sustainability, improving air quality and meeting European targets.
A central theme was urban freight distribution, which, despite accounting for 10% of the vehicle fleet, causes 20% of congestion and emissions. Since 2022, the City Council has been promoting an Intelligent Urban Freight Distribution Strategy, managing around 45,000 daily loading and unloading operations using technological tools and data governance.
The repurposing of EMT parking facilities into mobility and logistics hubs was highlighted, including the future Colón hub, which will facilitate more efficient urban distribution. Carabante summarized municipal policy into three pillars: public transport, infrastructure improvement, and data governance, emphasizing that cities are now measured by travel time.
Institutional collaboration was advocated as crucial for addressing smart mobility challenges and fostering Madrid's sustainable growth. The conference, organized by Madridiario, was sponsored by Metro de Madrid and GAM, with collaboration from Alsa, the COAM, and Diariocrítico.
