Proposed Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile Plan Variation – Response from Colin Shields and Dave Smith to Further Panel Transport Questions Raised on 13 December 2023

Context: The Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile (TPLM) hearing panel asked further transport questions on 13 December 2023. This joint response sets out the questions and answers from Colin Shields (Tonkin & Taylor; Council's expert) and Dave Smith (Abley; for NZTA (Waka Kotahi)) (p.1).

Question 1 – Aspen comparison: Mr Shields gives the wider Queenstown population as 33,860 over 156.7 km² (Statistics NZ 2023 estimates for SA2s with nearby public transport) and Aspen at 10,390 over 83.7 km² (p.1), with mesh-block population maps and bus network maps for both, including Aspen's VelociRFTA bus rapid transit (pp.2–7, largely image pages).

Question 2 – additional SH6 access: The Panel asked whether a new SH6 access, consented for a café/gallery reuse of the Glenpanel Homestead and said to be designed for 180 unconsented dwellings, would be appropriate in a 60 km/h environment, and in what form (p.8). Mr Smith (Technical Note 3, Revision A, 18 December 2023) answers that an additional access would be appropriate if SH6 were redesigned and posted as 60 km/h, and could support urbanisation; a left-in/left-out configuration if Howards Drive is a roundabout, or signals if Howards Drive is signalised (p.12).

Mr Shields considers there is no NZTA agreement for 180 residential units on the access, no ORC agreement for bus services, and NZTA described the access as temporary until the east–west collector road is built (pp.8–9). His Sidra assessment of the NZUP Howards Drive roundabout shows a 75-vehicle AM queue on the SH6 east approach even without TPLM development, so it does not free capacity (p.9). He notes Council recommends no development until bus lanes west of the bridge are complete (p.9). He does not consider an additional access appropriate; if the Panel allows a permanent one, it should be signalised (p.10).

Appendix B: NZTA's 2022 comment on the Flint's Park fast-track application (EPA FTC000049; Richard Shaw, Team Leader South) states SH6 is at capacity in the AM peak and 'mode shift at an unprecedented level is necessary' (p.18), supports a 180-unit cap until the collector road is built, and seeks an SH6 underpass, ORC-certified bus stops, a 0.27 on-street car parks per dwelling maximum, noise and access consent notices, and advice notes on certification panels (pp.18–25).

Mass rapid transit: The document says nothing about mass rapid transit for Queenstown. The only rapid transit mentioned is Aspen's VelociRFTA bus rapid transit, on a map legend (p.7).