QTS-221 · Feasibility or modelling study · 2026
Queenstown Strategic Network Plan – optioneering approach and longlist (technical memo, final, 12 June 2026)
Part of: Rapid transit evidence →
The QSNP team's final technical memo on how strategic approaches and 'fundamental interventions' were developed and assessed. Strategic approaches, including an offline public transport spine, bus-based options, road capacity expansion and a balanced multi-modal approach, were scored by multi-criteria assessment, with the balanced multi-modal approach preferred. The memo finds road-led approaches perform poorly because of downstream SH6A constraints, and describes offline public transport as 'the most credible long-term way of increasing capacity on the Frankton to Queenstown corridor', with no technology specified. Indicative costs are $500m–1.0bn for an offline public transport spine within a total capital programme of about $1.4–2.6bn.
Key figures
- Offline public transport spine $500m–1.0bn
- Additional Kawarau crossing $380–565m
- Arthurs Point crossing $60–80m
- Park & Ride $20–50m
- Total capital programme ~$1.4–2.6bn
- PT services ~$11m pa rising to ~$20–25m pa
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.
Offline public transport performs strongly in the options assessment as the long-term capacity step change for Frankton–Queenstown; technology-agnostic.
Section 8.4 says offline public transport options 'performed strongly because they provide a genuine step change in people-moving capacity while avoiding the main constraints of the live road network', and that the plan 'does not specify a preferred technology, alignment or operating model'. Later business case work is to test technology, alignment, operating cost, commercial risk, integration and benefit-cost performance.
"the most credible long-term way of increasing capacity on the Frankton to Queenstown corridor once surface bus operations reach practical limits" (s8.4) | "The plan does not specify a preferred technology, alignment or operating model." (s8.4)
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Citation
NZTA (Waka Kotahi). Queenstown Strategic Network Plan – optioneering approach and longlist (technical memo, final, 12 June 2026) (2026). Released under OIA-23524.