None
Wednesday, 16 February 2011

UWA Business School
This September, the city of Perth will host the New Urbanism and Smart Transport 2011 International Conference - Towards Liveable Cities & Better Communities, which aims to find new ways to improve transport systems and planning in urban areas.

The University of Western Australia is sponsoring the conference, which will bring international keynote speakers and participants together to seek, develop, and exchange views on innovative New Urbanism, Sustainable Urbanism, Road Management and Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

Emeritus Professor John Taplin from the UWA Business School, who was previously the Director General of Transport WA, is chairing the conference committee. ‘Planners, governments, and smart growth advocates around the world are talking about a more comprehensive transportation overhaul, one that includes mass transit between and within cities and bicycle and pedestrian traffic,' said Professor Taplin. ‘The key here is less dependence on cars only and stronger relationships between transportation systems and the communities themselves.

‘This conference will provide practical presentations, highlighting how transport organisations, universities, state and local governments, and communities can get more involved in such activities as: providing government and decision-makers with a clear and accurate understanding of the public's priorities and needs; encouraging community support for New Urbanism and Smart Transport; and ensuring the effective delivery of services.'

Presentation topics will include: integrated land use and transport planning matching recent demographic changes; public transport and active modes of transport; accessibility; urban design; housing choices; traffic safety; and health.

The conference has attracted well known academics in transport and urbanism. Among others, Professor Robert Cervero, University of California, Berkeley; John Norquist, President and CEO, New Urbanism; and Richard Weller, Winthrop Professor of Landscape Architecture at UWA, will share their views on innovative ways to provide efficient transport and urban facilities whilst creating high quality living places in our urban areas.

Keynote speakers will include: Gary Prattley, Chairman of the Western Australian Planning Commission; Reece Waldock, Director General Department of Transport - Western Australia; Eric Lumsden, Director General of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure; Troy Pickard, Mayor for the City Of Joondalup, and President of Western Australia Local Government Association; and Ross Holt, CEO for LandCorp.

Assistant Professor Doina Olaru, from the UWA Business School, is also part of the conference's organising committee. ‘Perth is an exciting city to be holding a transport conference in,' said Assistant Professor Olaru. ‘We are taking steps towards sustainable solutions to Perth's rapid growth. Although our city is still sparse and car-reliant, professionals and government institutions are willing to combine their efforts to change this in the future. The recently completed UWA ARC linkage research project "Impacts of transit led development in a new rail corridor", will find an ideal forum for disseminating its findings in behavioural changes induced in transit oriented precincts in this conference.'

The Towards Liveable Cities & Better Communities conference will be held from 26-27 September 2011. The conference is also being sponsored by various government departments, WA Planning Commission, and LandCorp. For further information, please visit the smart transport website .

Media references

Heather Merritt
Director, External Relations
UWA Business School
T: +618 6488 8171
E: [email protected]

Verity Chia
Communications Officer
UWA Business School
E: [email protected]

Tags

Channels
Events — Research
Groups
eBiz