Surfside boss Martin Hall believes fully integrated public transport is vital for the sustainability of the region

Surfside general manager and Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall believes fully integrated public transport is vital for the sustainability of the Gold Coast.

Surfside general manager and Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall. Picture Mike Batterham

SURFSIDE general manager and Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall believes fully integrated public transport is vital for the sustainability of the Gold Coast.

Martin Hall began at Surfside two years ago after leaving the Hornibrook bus service, where he was also general manager, for seven years. Mr Hall grew up in west London and studied at an agricultural college before working in social housing management. He lead the reformation of the Redcliffe Chamber of Commerce and has been president of the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce since October 2016. Surfside employs more than 800 people, including 650 drivers.

What do you love about the Gold Coast?

“I love the entire Gold Coast experience. It really exemplifies the whole live, work and play mantra.

“The diversity contained on the Gold Coast is immense — in a relatively small geographical area

the range of culture, cuisine and traditions can be found quite easily. This alone is one of the

parts I love about living and working here.

“I also love the fact that you can’t believe what you hear about the Gold Coast — the term `so

Gold Coast’ really is not a true reflection of the vibrancy and opportunity the Coast offers.

“There are a lot of good people in this community who often get overshadowed by this broad term.”

What do you think can be done better on the Gold Coast?

“Firstly tourism is not the only industry on the Gold Coast, this is often forgotten.

“While it does represent a large portion of the GDP of the area, small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of this region.

“So, better acknowledgment of this would go a long way. That is where the chamber can assist.

“In addition, and given the vibrancy and opportunity we have here we urgently need some

regeneration or social renewal of several areas such as Nerang and the Broadbeach-Burleigh

corridor. The development of sustainable communities is a real opportunity to improve for us.

“Is light rail stage three the silver bullet? Maybe, but certainly not in isolation to community renewal.

“Improvements in general livability are another area of opportunity. Ensuring that integrated public transport is right from day one as well as being a core component of all sized developments will certainly help this.”

In your travels, what have you seen being done elsewhere that you think could work well here?

“We don’t always have to look overseas to find better and more innovative examples. Here on

the Gold Coast we have a lot of smart and innovative people of our own.

“Take Bustech pioneering electric bus solutions down the road in Burleigh.

“One good additional example I have is in my former home town of Redcliffe here in Queensland.

“There the foreshore rejuvenation project absolutely revolutionised the region.

“Simple community-by-design examples, streetscaping and leveraging of a natural resource (the

Bee Gees) has changed the entire experience.

“This project, staggered across several years, has opened the area up to another completely different pool of visitors and settlers bringing their revenue streams.

“Another example that builds on how sustainable communities prosper is the town of Poundbury

in Dorset in the United Kingdom.

“This fully designed and blended community pepper potting social and private housing is an awesome example of something our region could look at as we continue this rapid population expansion.”

If money, laws, time and approvals were no issue, what is one big project you would

undertake?

“Quite simply the best public transport system in the world.

“Bus Rapid Transit complementing the light rail would enable far greater accessibility

for all Gold Coasters.

“Development of a genuinely fully integrated public transport network including using the

waterways with innovative technology.

“Use of the existing opportunity to make the Gold Coast the E-bus capital of the world.”

What conversations should Gold Coast movers and shakers be having?

“They should be discussing looking past GC2018 and how we want the Gold Coast to look.

“We need to get serious about community legacy not solely bricks and mortar.

“Real social and employment legacy is what people should be discussing seriously. The pre-games shadow is long and there is nothing stopping the true shadow continuing in perpetuity.”