Perth is ready for urban consolidation led by light rail

Sergio Famiano

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2024

Subject Area

place - australasia, place - urban, mode - tram/light rail, mode - rail, land use - planning, land use - urban sprawl, land use - urban design, land use - urban density, policy - environment, policy - sustainable

Keywords

Light rail, urban consolidation, housing diversity, oil vulnerability, sustainable transport, mid-tier public transport, cost of living, car dependency

Abstract

Perth is at a crossroad. A sprawling, low-density city, Perth is confronted with all the associated problems – car dependency, long commute times, large ecological footprint, growing transport costs and a myriad of health issues. In an age of climate crisis, energy vulnerability and high cost of living, Perth which is anticipated to grow to 3.5million people by 2050 can no longer afford suburban sprawl. A new model of growth is required, which is led by transport and urban consolidation, utilising Perth’s existing footprint and supported by light rail to create a more sustainable and affordable city. A consortium of 17 local governments is leading the way for a more sustainable future. Their approach incorporates light rail in inner and middle suburbs to create a ‘place based’ planning approach linking existing passenger rail stations with activity centres, and education hubs, combining this with housing diversity, that will create a more sustainable and affordable urban footprint. The approach aims to tackle the climate crisis by making transport more sustainable, helping to reduce the cost of living by reducing transport costs, and reducing Perth’s exposure to energy security as the supply of oil becomes ever more vulnerable in an increasingly unstable geopolitical climate.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Taylor&Francis, copyright remains with them.

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