Solutions to parking woes needed
A multi-storey carpark is one of several options being looked at to ease parking congestion in Milford Sound.
Milford Sound Tourism Limited is investigating options to consolidate parking in Milford Sound that include building a multi-storey carpark.
The company is responsible for managing the infrastructure in Milford Sound.
A report written by Department of Conservation Te Anau operations manager Greg Lind for the Southland Conservation Board said Milford Sound Tourism Limited had indicated that it intends on applying for a concession for a multi-storey building in Milford Sound with a capacity of 200 car parks within the next two months.
Lind said he was aware of the proposal but concessions had not been lodged.
However, Milford Sound Tourism Limited general manager Tim Holland said people were getting ahead of themselves and the company was only investigating options at this early stage.
Holland was compiling parking reports to present to the board.
A multi-storey carpark was one of several options being
looked at to ease parking congestion, Holland said.
It was unknown if a multistorey building would even be a feasible option.
The infrastructure provider was not looking at increasing the number of car parks available, it was only looking to consolidate car parking into more sensible areas, he said.
There were 241 parking spaces available in three paved carparks, and another 80 spaces
in a gravel car park.
At busy times cars could be parked along the road and in other carparks but that was not an ideal situation for visitors, Holland said.
The default position of the company was to encourage visitors travelling to Milford Sound to take a bus as it was a good way to enjoy the Milford road.
Taking buses was also better for the environment, he said.
Milford Community Trust chairman Ebel Kramer said he was aware of discussions between Milford Sound Tourism and DOC about building a carpark and the future management of the flow of traffic.
The increase in the number of independent travellers using cars and campervans had put pressure on parking facilities, Kramer said.
Any construction, whether it be a multi-storey carpark or another facility, the trust would have to look at how it would fit in with the environment in Milford Sound.
It was something that was taken into consideration looking at any structure in the area, Kramer said.
‘‘It can’t detract from that uniqueness of Milford.’’
The increase in the number of independent travellers using cars and campervans had put pressure on parking facilities. Ebel Kramer, Milford Community Trust chairman