Cars are already the Gold Coast's biggest transport problem, a survey of its residents suggest.
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And encouraging people out of their cars is the focus of Gold Coast planners.
More than 2500 Gold Coast residents, businesses and organisations have been surveyed and 46 per cent rate public transport are their biggest transport concern.
Walking and cycling came in second with 14.4 per cent nominating it as their chief transport concern ahead of roads (10.2 per cent), and parking (3.9 per cent).
On the eve of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, transport will be shaped by the success of the $1.4 billion light rail project, Gold Coast Rapid Transit.
This public transport project tackles one of the Gold Coast's biggest problems - in 2011, cars were used in 88 per cent of all trips on the coast.
Only 3.1 per cent of journeys use public transport.
The Gold Coast City Council's Transport Strategy 2031 shows public transport would only grow from 3.1 per cent to 4.1 per cent of all journeys by 2018.
The high-profile light rail project had a recent setback when new figures - from the Queensland Government - halved the number of people expected to use the light rail trams.
In stage one, the rapid transit project will run 14 trams regularly in a shuttle service from the Griffith University campus at Southport to Broadbeach through Surfers Paradise in 2014.
Many thousands of those passengers will be visitors to the coast during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The previous Labor Government estimated 45,000 trips between Griffith University and Broadbeach would be made each day when it opened in mid to late 2014.
That patronage would grow to 64,000 trips a day after 15 years, Labor hoped.
However Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the LNP decided Labor figures - based on 2006 data - were simply too old and had them reviewed.
The new government's projections show between 17,400 and 20,000 trips a day by mid-2014.
"The latest figures indicate that there will be only 20,000 trips per day, less than 50 per cent of what the previous government had forecast it to be," Mr Emerson said.
Under the LNP's estimates, the Gold Coast Rapid Rail Transit project would carry 45,000 passengers a day 15 years after it opened.
Labor expected the service would carry that number of passengers from day one.
Fewer passengers means a $23 million reduction in fare revenue for the state government.
The Gold Coast City Council is desperate to persuade its residents to get out of their cars.
Gold Coast City Council's Transport Strategy makes it clear the Gold Coast has a transport problem.
"As we grow - the Gold Coast's population will grow from 514,000 in 2011 to 789,000 in 2031 - high levels of car dependence will mean more traffic in the busy parts of the city and people who are unable to access a car will find their transport choices limited."
It wants to increase:
- public transport from 3.1 per cent of trips in 2011 to 12 per cent by 2031;
- cycling from 1.9 per cent in 2011 to 6 per cent by 2031;
- walking from 7.1 per cent in 2011 to 8 per cent in 2031; and
- decrease car driving from 88 per cent of trips t0 74 per cent by 2031.
How do they plan to tackle the problem?
- progress Gold Coast's key transport projects.
- work with the State Government to build a network of park n rides by 2018;
- quickly implement the new bus route restructure when they are announced early in 2014;
- develop a new "rapid bus" network on the Gold Coast by 2018; and
- review the bus fare boundaries and go card use to make changes on the Gold Coast.
- Read the full transport strategy here.
