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Funchal

Welcome to Funchal, the picturesque heart of Madeira, Portugal! Funchal stands as the region’s principal economic and touristic hub. With a population of 105,000, it is also the most densely populated area in the archipelago. The city is renowned not only for its scenic landscapes but also for its commitment to improving urban mobility and logistics.

Welcome to Funchal, the picturesque heart of Madeira, Portugal! Funchal stands as the region’s principal economic and touristic hub. With a population of 105,000, it is also the most densely populated area in the archipelago. The city is renowned not only for its scenic landscapes but also for its commitment to improving urban mobility and logistics.

Mobility and Traffic Division

The Mobility and Traffic Division is at the helm of managing Funchal’s urban space, including traffic lights, public transport stops, and the coordination of European Union projects like MATCH-UP and FlexCurb. These initiatives focus on the development of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) tools to support logistical operations within the city. As Funchal grapples with increasing traffic challenges, especially from the HORECA sector and large shipment transports, it faces rising issues related to pollutant emissions and illegal parking, which severely affect pedestrian movement and vulnerable road users (VRUs).

UNCHAIN’s Role in Enhancing Funchal’s Urban Logistics

UNCHAIN offers significant potential to amplify the outcomes expected from the FlexCurb project and further engage stakeholders in freight logistics. One of the city’s strategic goals within UNCHAIN is to empower local technicians to devise more effective awareness actions and integrate strategies that enhance parking management, thereby improving overall delivery processes.

Sustainable Urban Mobility and Logistics Plans (SUMP & SULP)

Implemented in 2018, Funchal’s SUMP adopts an integrated approach to address various challenges including logistics, parking, energy efficiency, and multimodality among others. The strategy emphasizes sustainable policy measures, infrastructure development for multimodal transportation, and enhanced communication with citizens and stakeholders. In 2019, Funchal developed a SULP that underscored numerous logistical issues and mapped out actions to foster tighter cooperation between suppliers and the Municipality, alongside implementing digital tools to aid decision-making and urban planning.

A beautiful picture of Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.

What is their role in UNCHAIN?

In the UNCHAIN project, Follower Cities play a crucial role in the implementation and demonstration of solutions developed in the project. These cities, Funchal, Prague, Riga, and Mechelen, work alongside the primary demonstration sites of Madrid, Berlin, and Florence to maximize the geographical coverage and replicability of solutions across Europe.

Funchal has decided to support the demonstration of many different UNCHAIN services:

Collaboration and Leadership

As the site leader for UNCHAIN, the Municipality of Funchal, through its Mobility and Traffic Division and Planning Department, is committed to transforming urban mobility and logistics. This collaborative approach ensures that the solutions developed are well-suited to Funchal’s unique context and can be effectively integrated into the city’s vibrant urban fabric.

Forward-Looking

With its strategic initiatives and active participation in UNCHAIN, Funchal is on a steadfast path toward more sustainable, efficient, and user-friendly urban logistics. We invite you to keep connected with us as we progress in our journey to reshape urban logistics in one of the most beautiful island cities in the world.