Background: Public transport accessibility is vital for fostering inclusive and sustainable urban development, ensuring equitable mobility for individuals with physical disabilities or reduced mobility. Globally, over 1.3 billion people, including 4.12 million in Spain, live with disabilities. Despite legislative progress, many cities fail to meet accessibility standards that guarantee safe and independent public transport use. Aim: This study evaluates the accessibility of 431 bus stops in Burgos, Spain, using a methodological design that combines compliance with accessibility standards and the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities. By identifying critical barriers and opportunities for improvement, this research provides actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers, offering a replicable framework for cities facing similar challenges. Methods: A validated and reproducible methodology was employed to evaluate accessibility conditions through in situ observations, including the geolocation of bus stops and photographic documentation. This approach guarantees a user-centred perspective through collaboration with local disability organisations. Results: The analysis identified significant barriers, including inadequate vehicle encroachment prevention, poorly designed shelters, unsuitable stop locations, and limited accessible formats such as Braille and audio. These challenges hinder the independent use of public transport for individuals with disabilities or reduced mobility. Conclusions: Addressing these barriers can substantially enhance urban mobility, reduce environmental impacts, and support Sustainable Development Goal 11, particularly Target 11.2. The proposed methodological design provides a practical framework for urban planners to create more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable transport systems globally.

The use of public transport is a facilitator for the development of people′s abilities and a channel for their participation in society. Mobility limitations are a cause of social exclusion and people with disabilities is one of the groups most likely to suffer from it. Problems using public transportation are among the main causes for this exclusion. The aim of this research is to conduct a systematic review of the published literature on to public transport accessibility for people with disabilities. We have found articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals between 2010 and 2022, searching in Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) and Scopus databases implementing the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology and applying Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Of the 2224 documents found during the initial search, we selected 65 articles according to the criteria used, more than 60% of them published in the last 4 years. Despite the growing literature on public transport and disability, there is still little research into this area, with the urban bus being the most studied mode of transport; and physical disability the most analysed in the articles identified.

Universal accessibility remains a critical challenge for effective public transport and urban equity. This study addresses the need for operational prioritisation tools by proposing a robust hybrid methodology to rank interventions at urban mobility nodes. The approach combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for integrating expert and participatory criteria weighting with four Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques (TOPSIS, VIKOR, COPRAS, and ARAS) to ensure solution reliability. Empirical validation, conducted on 30 bus stops in Segovia, Spain, confirmed the methodological soundness, evidenced by near-perfect correlations (ρ = 0.99) among the compromise and additive ratio models (TOPSIS–VIKOR and COPRAS–ARAS) and stability across over 85% of sensitivity simulations. The findings validate that the methodology effectively guides resource allocation towards interventions yielding maximum social impact and demonstrate its transferability to complex urban supply chain contexts, such as logistics microhubs. Ultimately, this replicable and adaptable model supports the transition towards more equitable, resilient urban systems, aligning directly with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

The transport industry in the European Union plays a key role in the economy. However, due to persistent political, social, and technological changes, examining optimization strategies in transportation has become a crucial task to minimize expenditure, promote sustainable solutions, and address environmental degradation concerns. This study analyzes the effectiveness of a new truck trailer design, adapted from existing European models, which improves load capacity through an extended trailer length. The increased length (and, by extension, volume) is expected to reduce the number of vehicles for freight transportation, thereby improving road congestion and reducing environmental impacts, which include GHG emissions and overall carbon footprint. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive analysis of current European regulations on articulated vehicles and road trains was carried out, alongside a review of related case studies implemented or under development across the European Union member states. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted using the proposed 18 m semi-trailer across 14 real-life freight routes involving loads from several suppliers and manufacturers. This study therefore demonstrates the economic benefits and reduction in pollutant emissions related to the extended design and evaluates its impact on road infrastructure conditions, given the total length of 20.55 m.

Public transport accessibility is a key component of inclusive and sustainable urban development, particularly in developing-country contexts, where infrastructural and operational barriers may intensify social exclusion. This study evaluates the transferability of a validated accessibility assessment model originally developed in Spain to Durban, South Africa. The research examines 71 bus stops within the Durban People Mover network, focusing on accessibility conditions for persons with reduced mobility. The methodology combines field observation, geolocation, and photographic documentation within a structured framework based on technical requirements classified as critical and non-critical, enabling a systematic assessment across the travel chain. The findings indicate high levels of compliance in basic pedestrian infrastructure, exceeding 90% for ramps, gradients, and pavement conditions. However, accessibility is constrained by operational and informational deficiencies, including the occupation of boarding areas by private vehicles (32.26% non-compliance) and the absence of inclusive information systems, with 0% compliance for Braille signage, real-time information, and audible systems. The study demonstrates that accessibility gaps are primarily linked to management and information systems rather than to infrastructural deficits. It confirms the model’s value as a transferable and replicable tool for evaluating accessibility under limited data conditions, thereby supporting evidence-based interventions aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 11.2.