High-performing public transport shall be effective to meet user’s mobility and accessibility needs and, at the same time, use resources efficiently. This paper presents the optimisation of an urban transport network as part of a study implemented within the municipality of Pombal, located in the Centre Region of Portugal. The study aimed to answer effectively local demand through satisfying quality management criteria such as comfort and safety, origin-destination travel times compatible with user’s daily mobility needs and to contribute to social inclusion and economic development. The strategic objectives of the study can be described as follows: a) to promote sustainable mobility within the municipality and the region; to improve the efficiency of the bus network (Pombus); b) to adjust bus timetables in accordance to user needs; c) to increase the number of daily passengers served; d) to use the existing vehicles fleet in a more efficient way by addressing actual and potential demand needs; e) to adopt a multimodal perspective by integrating bus services with other transport modes such as rail; f) to improve energy efficiency; g) to value the social dimension of the bus network by assuring access to public service with quality for all. The optimisation algorithms developed accounted for the demand profiles obtained through the mobility surveys implemented, the location of the set of obligatory stops, the quickest routes taking into account congestion, demand distribution along the day, bus occupancy rates and existing supply and energy consumption. An experimental period of five months was set to test the optimised bus network solution. Results from bus operation showed that it was possible with the same resources to enlarge the bus catchment area to cover a higher number of users and to adjust timetables to meet user daily mobility needs (trips to school of the youngsters, trips to other daily services of the elderly, etc.). The follow-up surveys to the population, as part of the public participation process, showed that the solution implemented contributed to reinforce the role of the bus network (Pombus) as a key element for achieving sustainable mobility in the municipality of Pombal: it accounted for social equity issues in accessibility, met expectations and needs of the local population, minimised energy consumption and improved the financial sustainability of the bus operation.
