QTS-034 · Business case chapter or appendix · 2020
Appendix C11 Technical Note 36: Intelligent Transport Systems (Application of ITS in Queenstown), with Appendix C12 Technical Note 30: High Capacity Public Transport and Appendix C13 Consenting Strategy
Part of: Rapid transit evidence →
This bundle is Appendices C11-C13 of the NZUP Queenstown Transport Business Case, prepared for NZTA (Waka Kotahi) under Contract 2018235. TN36 (30 August 2020) recommends five ITS measures: a Network Operating Plan; continued use of the Wellington Transport Operations Centre; SCATS Priority Engine for bus virtual priority ($30-50k set-up); at least six permanent variable message signs on SH6/SH6A ($90-120k each); and town centre parking and kerbside management ($300-500k). TN30, High Capacity Public Transport (13 July 2020, final November 2020), sets out the staged 'Bus Max' network. It grows from about 360 seats per hour on SH6A today to 2,500 passengers per hour of capacity by 2051 (modelled 2051 demand 2,322) using double-decker, articulated and then bi-articulated buses or trackless trams, with gross opex rising from $13.2m (2024) to $39.1m (2051). TN30 states that on-road PT 'can meet the expected demand until around 2051'. It acknowledges mass rapid transit's 'hyper-frequency', capacity and customer experience, but says it 'does not fit well into the current legislative and public transport procurement processes'. It asks the Board to approve that 'off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. a gondola) is parked and reviewed in 2028'. TN30 also records that the mass-transit ferry was ruled out by MCA on 2 August 2019. Appendix C13 contains WSP preliminary consenting strategies for the town centre and for the 37 Frankton/Ladies Mile/SH6A locations listed in Table 1-1.
What the document says
Context: The PDF combines three appendices to the NZUP Queenstown Transport Business Case. All preparer and reviewer names are redacted under s 9(2)(a).
TN36, Intelligent Transport Systems (pp.2-9, 30 August 2020). It reviews ITS technologies deployable by Waka Kotahi, ORC or QLDC (Table 1, p.4) and the role of Transport Operations Centres. Deloitte (2017) BCRs for NZ TOCs were 5.11 (Auckland), 3.53 (Wellington) and 8.3 (Christchurch) (p.5). Because a dedicated local TOC would cost over $400,000 a year in staff alone, it recommends the Wellington TOC continue to run Queenstown signals (p.5). SCATS Priority Engine is 'considered essential' for SH6A PT priority, and the 'virtual' priority was included in the business case modelling (p.6). Recommendations and costs are set out at pp.8-9.
TN30, High Capacity Public Transport (pp.10-24). It is written at IBC level (p.11). It describes the post-2017 Orbus network, where patronage tripled from about 500,000 to 1.5 million a year (p.11). It notes NZUP's $90 million infrastructure does not include bus services, fleet or depot (p.13), and that the PT contract expires in 2027 (p.13). Figure 3 shows the forecast mode shift. TN30 warns 'if this mode shift does not occur, all networks will fail', and calls the mode shift 'a level of mode shift never before attempted in New Zealand' (p.14). It cites Aspen's 67.8% non-car commuter mode share (p.16). The mass-transit ferry (Frankton Beach-Steamer Wharf) was discounted for high opex (about $900 per hour per ferry), limited capacity (about 800 passengers per hour) and transfer penalties. It was ruled out at an MCA workshop on 2 August 2019 (p.16).
The Bus Max network has five bus routes and one ferry route, with a 3-4 minute peak on SH6A (p.17). It is staged:
- 2020-24: 360 seats per hour, 22 buses, $4.38m opex.
- 2024: 873 per hour, 27 buses, $13.18m.
- 2027: 1,176-1,411 per hour, 35 buses, $23.84m.
- 2030: 1,393-1,671 per hour, 39 buses, $25.39m.
- 2039-2051: bi-articulated buses or trackless trams, 1,802-2,500 per hour, 34-50 vehicles, $26.56m-$39.06m.
These are gross uninflated 2020 dollars (pp.18-19, 23). Bus performance 'starts to significantly degrade beyond around 18-20 vehicles per hour' (p.19). The Bus Max fleet in 2030 is estimated at $46 million (p.22). Implementation issues include institutional responsibilities, fleet ownership, the roughly equal ratepayer and NLTF funding shares, crown ownership of the Frankton Hub and depot land (pp.22-23). Appendix 2 is the HCPT options MCA, scoring Do Min, Bus Max, Trackless Tram and Trackless Tram Max, plus a mass rapid transit option and a ferry option, against 17 criteria. A ferry is not mass rapid transit (pp.23-24).
Appendix C13, Consenting Strategy (pp.25-94). WSP preliminary RMA screens cover Queenstown Town Centre non-arterials (approved 18/06/2020), the town centre arterials (pp.33-40), and the Frankton to Queenstown SSBC with Frankton and Ladies Mile (Final, July 2020). The SSBC strategy covers '46 discrete locations' (p.49) and a traffic-light table of 37 references. Most are outline plan waivers. Alterations to designation are needed at several intersections, new designations at the SH6/6A intersection and Frankton Hub (where an existing QLDC designation has priority), and a Notice of Requirement for the Humphrey Street link (pp.49-50).
Mass rapid transit: TN30 is the key deferral document. It states that 'on-road public transport can meet the expected demand until around 2051'. It says mass rapid transit 'provides a number of attractive features such as hyper-frequency (<30 seconds between gondola cabins); capacity and a great visitor/ customer experience', but that on-road options fit current frameworks and best maximise the $90 million NZUP investment (p.20). It suggests 'consideration of an off-line system be put on hold and reviewed in 2028'. It notes mass rapid transit 'could be delivered by the private sector for its tourism benefits', in which case public investment in its PT benefit could be considered (p.20). The decision sought is 'Board to approve that off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. a gondola) is parked and reviewed in 2028' (p.23). In the MCA, mass rapid transit scores 3 on sustainably managing growth, network-event resilience, reliability, Vision Zero, construction impacts and masterplan alignment, and -2 on capex affordability (pp.23-24). The note does not state an overall MCA result. TN36 and C13 contain no MRT content.
Key figures
- PT patronage tripled from about 500,000 to about 1,500,000 a year after the November 2017 network (p.11)
- Bus Max gross opex: $13,177,351 (2024); $23,840,986 (2027); $25,391,506 (2030); $26,563,421 (2039); $39,063,855 (2051), uninflated 2020 $ (p.23)
- SH6A capacity: 360 seats/hr now; 873 (2024); 1,176-1,411 (2027); 1,393-1,671 (2030); 1,802-2,500 (2039-2051) (pp.18-19)
- Bus Max fleet for full 2030 rollout estimated at $46 million (p.22)
- Ferry mass transit option: about $900 per hour per ferry, vessels up to $4 million, about 800 passengers per hour; ruled out 2 August 2019 (p.16)
- Aspen non-car commuter mode share 67.8% vs 60% target in this business case (p.16)
- SCATS Priority Engine $30-50k set-up; VMS $90-120k per sign (at least 6); parking/kerbside system $300-500k (p.8)
- NZ TOC BCRs: Auckland 5.11, Wellington 3.53, Christchurch 8.3 (p.5)
- F2Q/Frankton/Ladies Mile business case covers 46 discrete locations (p.49)
Rapid transit
Mass rapid transit means light rail, gondola/cable car, bus rapid transit and similar dedicated rapid-transit technologies. It does not include ordinary bus services or ferries.
Substantive. Discusses, assesses, recommends or programmes mass rapid transit.
Recommends offline mass rapid transit be parked and reviewed in 2028; judges on-road bus services sufficient to about 2051. Those bus services are not mass rapid transit.
TN30 (Appendix C12) is where the business case formally defers offline PT. It states: 'the business case work to date has identified that on-road public transport can meet the expected demand until around 2051' (p.20). It acknowledges mass rapid transit's 'hyper-frequency (<30 seconds between gondola cabins); capacity and a great visitor/ customer experience'. It prefers on-road options because they 'can feasibly be implemented under current public transport operational and procurement frameworks and are the best option to maximise the value from the $90 million NZUP investment' (p.20). It suggests offline consideration 'be put on hold and reviewed in 2028 based on updated forecasts'. It adds that mass rapid transit 'does not fit well into the current legislative and public transport procurement processes but could be delivered by the private sector for its tourism benefits', and that public investment in its PT benefit could then be considered (p.20). The Board decision sought is 'off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. a gondola) is parked and reviewed in 2028' (p.23). The appended MCA (pp.23-24) scores mass rapid transit against Do Min, Bus Max, Trackless Tram, Trackless Tram Max and Ferry. Mass rapid transit rates highly on reliability, resilience, construction impacts and masterplan alignment, and lower on capex affordability (-2) and modal integration (1). The note states no overall ranking. The on-road path itself relies on 'bi-articulated buses or trackless trams' from about 2039 (p.19).
"Board to approve that off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. a gondola) is parked and reviewed in 2028." (p.23) | "the business case work to date has identified that on-road public transport can meet the expected demand until around 2051." (p.20) | "While the gondola option provides a number of attractive features such as hyper-frequency (<30 seconds between gondola cabins); capacity and a great visitor/ customer experience, on-road public transport options can feasibly be implemented under current public transport operational and procurement frameworks" (p.20) | "Another challenge with the gondola is that it does not fit well into the current legislative and public transport procurement processes but could be delivered by the private sector for its tourism benefits." (p.20) | "A key constraint of bus-based options is that performance starts to significantly degrade beyond around 18-20 vehicles per hour." (p.19)
Files
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Main document
Actions recorded
Prepare a Network Operating Plan for Queenstown to inform network management and modal priority
Not assessed
A Network Operating Plan should be produced
Keep the Wellington Transport Operations Centre (WTOC) providing TOC services to Queenstown rather than a dedicated local TOC
Not assessed · NZTA
That the Wellington Transport Operations Centre continues to provide TOC services
Introduce SCATS Priority Engine software and supporting infrastructure for virtual priority at signalised intersections serving PT
Not assessed · NZTA
SCATS Priority Engine software and supporting infrastructure is introduced
Install permanent variable message signs at key inbound and outbound locations on SH6 and SH6A (at least six)
Not assessed
permanent Virtual Message Signs are installed at key inbound and outbound locations
Introduce a dynamic parking and kerbside management system for the town centre, scoped with the Council's parking strategy
Not assessed · QLDC
dynamic parking and kerbside management system is introduced
Note TN30 as an input to a proposed Detailed Business Case on public transport services and infrastructure to move HCPT towards implementation
Not assessed · Way to Go
Board to note context of this paper is an input to a proposed Detailed Business Case
Approve that off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. mass rapid transit) is parked and reviewed in 2028
Not assessed · Review in 2028 · Relevant to rapid transit
Board to approve that off-line PT to SH6A (e.g. a gondola) is parked and reviewed in 2028.
Advise how to progress PT operational aspects, including a PT service operation DBC, and whether this should sit under Way to Go
Not assessed · Way to Go
Board to advise how to progress PT operational aspects to the next level of detail
Show all 18 actions
Decide between double-decker and articulated bus operation before subsequent DBC work, as it drives Frankton Hub design
Not assessed · In advance of any subsequent DBC
This is a key project decision that needs to be made in advance of any subsequent DBC work
Investigate extending the Jacks Point bus service to Queenstown Town Centre from 2024 in a DBC
Not assessed · 2024-2027
One response, worthy of inclusion in a DBC investigation, would be extending Jacks Point service
Step up bus services from 2024: route 1 to 10-minute frequency with enhanced capacity buses (opex about $13.2m)
Not assessed · ORC · 2024-2027
there would need to be a bump in service from 2024
Introduce the first Bus Max stage with the new PT contract: new double-decker or articulated fleet, three core routes every 15 minutes to midnight, frequent Kelvin Peninsula ferry, Frankton Loop
Not assessed · ORC · 2027-2030
The timing of a new public transport contract for the Wakatipu Basin would provide for a step change
Secure a large flat depot site and plan fleet acquisition and electric bus charging well ahead of 2027
Not assessed · Before 2027 ('get underway very soon')
requires work to get underway very soon
Upgrade core services to 10-minute frequency (18 buses per hour on SH6A) from 2030
Not assessed · 2030-2039
a further step change in capacity is required in 2030
Move to bi-articulated buses or trackless trams from about 2039 to provide 1,802-2,500 passengers per hour to 2051
Not assessed · 2039-2051 · Relevant to rapid transit
At this point bi-articulated buses would be required
Address implementation issues in a DBC: institutional responsibilities, fleet and infrastructure ownership, funding alignment with visitor benefits, crown ownership of Frankton Hub, depot and charging
Not assessed
Some key implementation considerations and issues for consideration as part of a Detailed Business Case
Obtain alterations to designations, new designations (SH6/6A intersection, Frankton Hub), outline plans or waivers and a Notice of Requirement for the Humphrey Street link
Not assessed · NZTA
In each location the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi), as a requiring authority, has a designation
Obtain alteration of designation, outline plans and potential NESCS consent and archaeological authority for the Queenstown Town Centre non-arterial works
Not assessed · NZTA
identified the following Resource Management Act approvals are required
Study cost
A study cost has been requested under the Official Information Act or LGOIMA. No figure has been received.
Citation
NZTA (Waka Kotahi). Appendix C11 Technical Note 36: Intelligent Transport Systems (Application of ITS in Queenstown), with Appendix C12 Technical Note 30: High Capacity Public Transport and Appendix C13 Consenting Strategy (2020). NZTA Contract 2018235 - Technical Note #36; Technical Note #30; WSP project no. 310201227.