Improving our transport, flourishing our city
- Sustainability of Gold Coast transport strategies
Introduction
Increasing environmental concerns and issues have been bringing the concept of urban sustainable development, especially sustainable transport system, to the agenda of the majority cities worldwide. Traditionally, sustainable transport refers to developing a serious of transport strategies which could cater to the demands of a city’s citizens and tourists, and reach a balance of social, economic and environmental qualities between the current and future as well.
Gold Coast is one of the most rapidly growing cities in Australia. According to the City Council of Gold Coast, ‘The Estimated Resident Population for 2014 is 546,067’ and the population will continually growing in the future. Additionally, Gold Coast is a tourism city, which welcomes 12 million visitors each year. The increasingly growing population and amount of tourists both stimulate the demands of a
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In this plan, Gold Coast will be developed into a connected community, where citizens could easily commute between home and work. By investing in public infrastructures and facilities, the strategy wants to see residents spend less time in traffic and traffic congestion be reduced to a lowest level. It also outlines what the Council should do to improve the transport network and how the Council cooperates with the State and Federal governments to improve road, public transport and cycling facilities.
This paper aims to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of this transport plan by examining the strategies used. A case study of a different city’s transport development is also analysed to provide different perspectives in city transport planning. Based on the analysis, appropriate recommendations will be provided as well, hoping promoting a better transport