Plans to fix Queenstown traffic issues

Adding 60 new car parks and trialling a park and ride scheme may help solve Queenstown’s traffic woes, Queenstown Lakes District Council planners say.

The park and ride trial will kick off at the end of this year.

A survey of 400 residents found most preferred to have a car dropoff in Frankton, with a shuttle going to Queenstown every 15 minutes.

While 8am was considered the most suitable time for the shuttle to Queenstown, the preferred time for trips back to Frankton varied from 5pm to after 9pm.

Council principal infrastructure planner Tony Pickard said the park and ride scheme would not suit everyone.

‘‘Queenstown’s transport in general needs to serve a wide range of timing – it’s not a 9am to 5pm place.’’

More than 60 car parks will be added in the CBD to help reduce road congestion.

The underground Church St carparks will become public when leased parks relocate to Man St carpark on October 7.

Campervans will get 33 parking spaces on Boundary St, and signage will be improved.

In 10 central Queenstown zones, drivers will not be able to park within the same zone for one hour after their first parking period has expired.

Council infrastructure manager Peter Hansby said ’’it’s not a simple process and involves a bit of trial and error, but we’re proactively making changes and expect to see positive results, both in the short and longer term.’’

Ritchies Connectabus manager Nyal Fraser said the park and ride would be ‘‘a good thing’’.

‘‘It worked out in other places in the world.’’

Connectabus services are funded by passengers, while the park and ride will be funded by the council.

Fraser hoped more people would use public transport with the new scheme.

He said from operating seven routes, 10 busses and working with 25 drivers, he could tell Queenstown’s traffic was getting worse each month.