With ongoing urban renewal, population growth and ambitions to strengthen the night-time economy, long-standing challenges around congestion, parking availability and pedestrian safety must be addressed to support sustainable growth and improve livability.
The UDF promotes reduced car dependency, better land use, improved accessibility and stronger multi-modal transport links across the civic heart, city north and city south precincts.
It calls for a place-based movement and access strategy, including a dedicated parking plan, to balance transport demands with vibrant public spaces.
While upgrades such as smart technology and cashless payment systems at the Baker Street car park are welcome, incremental improvements alone are insufficient.
A coordinated strategy should optimise underused parking, introduce metered short-stay spaces to support turnover, and encourage peripheral commuter parking, while improving traffic flow to reduce congestion and emissions. Better management could significantly increase foot traffic for local businesses and support economic growth.
Pedestrian and active transport safety - particularly after dark - remains a pressing concern. The Safer Cities: Her Way initiative, funded by Transport for NSW in 2023, focused on improving safety perceptions for women, girls and gender-diverse people in the CBD through community co-design measures such as improved lighting and wayfinding.
Although pilot projects showed strong improvements in perceived safety, implementation has been limited, and many areas still feel unsafe at night.
Without broader delivery and integration into traffic and parking reforms, Gosford risks undermining its revitalisation and night-time economy goals.
Connectivity is further constrained by the ageing Donnison Street and Etna Street railway bridges, which create bottlenecks for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
Upgrading these key links would ease congestion, improve safety and strengthen north–south connections, aligning with the UDF’s vision of a more walkable, connected city.
Bringing parking reform, traffic flow improvements, active transport upgrades and safety initiatives into one coordinated plan is essential.
With momentum building, now is the time for decisive action to ensure Gosford’s city centre works effectively and safely for everyone - day and night.
