The relaunch of branch lines as a territory project for the inner areas

In the Italian National Strategy for Inner Areas included in the Partnership Agreement 2014-2020, improving accessibility is one of the priority axes of intervention, either as a lever of territorial cohesion, or a driver of economic development. In these areas, the presence of a railway line, even if underused or abandoned. may represent a strategic asset to activate revitalization processes, through the integration of regional and mobility policies. Good practices demonstrate how innovative management models in rail services together with a regional planning oriented to public transport may have significant multiplier effects on the demand side. On this basis, the paper presents two project researches for tuscan inner areas, both characterized by the presence of an old railroad now in decline, whose "smart” reuse is the key element for a "territory projects" aimed at the enhancement of the conspicuous local territorial capital.