The establishment of the Queenstown Transport Governance Group has been described as ‘the single best move to address Queenstown’s growth problems’ by the partners.
A partnership between the Transport Agency, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Otago Regional Council and Queenstown Airport, the governance group has worked to identify and address the transport issues facing New Zealand’s tourist mecca.
Through collaboration, the group has made significant progress to improve traffic flows and reduce congestion in and around Queenstown through improved network capacity, a new $2 fare subsidised bus service, and the use of technology, such as the Choice app.
There is also an agreed future approach for the next phase of work, focused on the Frankton area and Queenstown’s central city. The Group is already thinking about the town’s needs in 2050.
The partners agree that what has been achieved would not have been possible without a coordinated approach and looking at the whole transport system, including walking and cycling, and even how to move people around using Lake Wakitipu - ‘the great free highway that requires no maintenance’.
Gondolas and monorails are also being discussed. In 20 to 30 years’ time, these may well be the most logical solution to manage congestion and move people around in an area that is constrained by the region’s geography.
