Abstract
The main aim of this paper is to analyze the development of the railway network in Sicily (Italy), where it runs close to the sea on two of the three sides of the island, and give an overview of the related impacts on coastal environment and tourism. In order to achieve such an objective, the impacts of the railway network were analyzed according to coastal typology (distinguishing between rocky and sandy coastal sectors) and distance from the shoreline (dividing distance values in concrete intervals). Rails were mostly emplaced in flat coastal areas due to the island’s rugged terrain: out of 1592 km of railway, ca. 350 km is located less than 1000 m from the shoreline (123 km on rocky sectors and 227 km on beaches and coastal plains). On sandy beaches and low sandy coastal sectors, approximately 6 km of track is within 25 m from the shoreline, a value rising to 16 km if a 50 m distance is considered, 48 km at 100 m and 103 km at 200 m distance. In correspondence of rocky platforms and high cliffed sectors, data reported for short distances between the rail and the shore are similar to ones observed along sandy coastal sectors, but differ when distance increases, i.e., there is only 32 and 47 km of railway respectively within 100 and 200 m from the shoreline. The emplacement of the railway embankment on beaches and dunes favored coastal squeeze and enhanced coastal erosion due to wave reflection on the embankment, which had to be protected by hard structures. Impacts on rocky sectors, with respect to beach and dune systems, are generally low because such sectors are usually stable (they do not need to be protected), less attractive to tourists and present small urban development. Tourism was affected by reducing landscape quality, beach access and width. More detailed studies and monitoring programs are necessary to locally assess the detailed impacts of the railway network, with this study constituting a preliminary but useful approximation to determine which coastal sectors are potentially the most affected. Results obtained in this paper can stimulate similar researches in other countries to prevent or decrease railway impacts on “Sun, Sea and Sand” tourism and, in general, on the coastal environment.
Highlights
6a).byAlthough railway is conditioned by several different factors, such data clearly reflected the necessity of the railway to be emplaced in flat coastal areas due to the complex orographic configuration of the island
In correspondence of sandy beaches and low coastal sectors, which are very sensitive to coastal erosion and present a great tourist relevance, approximately 3.8 km of track is within a distance of 25 m from the shoreline, a value rising to 16.4 km if a 50 m distance is considered, 48.9 km at a 100 m and 100.1 km at a 200 m distance (Figures 4 and 6a,b)
Considering the whole railway network, the nearest segments to the sea are observed on the rocky coast, where rails were located just a few meters from the shoreline but at a height sufficient to stop them from being reached by waves, at least on less exposed coastal sectors
Summary
Railways have been the engine of economic and social progress in many countries and a symbol of progress itself. This is even more true for coastal areas, since the railway network was expanding there at the same time in which people were becoming aware of open-air activity healthiness and curative quality of sea air, an awareness that supported the growth of the summer holidays phenomenon. Sustainability 2021, 13, 7068 an economic level allowing them to travel and enjoy holidays far from their homes, and beaches started to be considered places of rest and relaxation [2]. The use of beaches for leisure transformed coastal areas into places of strong economic interest and highly productive spaces [3]
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