Auckland is struggling to deal with the legacy of decades of car-centred development, but it is not alone in that and can learn from other cities, a UK city shaper says.
Strong population growth has left Auckland bigger, more traffic congested, and in need of better public transport options and strategic urban regeneration, particularly around the CBD.
Many cities around the world face similar issues because they have been built on the premise that people have access to cars, and with a lack of strategic thinking around public transport, British Land joint head Roger Madelin says.
But it is possible to maximise public transport connections as part of the successful redevelopment of urban areas, he says.
Madelin is best known for his work, as chief executive of development company Argent, on London’s King’s Cross. Over 20 years, his team transformed it from a crime-ridden, rundown district into a vibrant, sought-after residential and commercial precinct.
