The group promoting a plan to have cable cars
rolling up and down Dunedin's High St has been encouraged to
continue its work by the Dunedin City Council.
However, councillors at yesterday's economic development
committee meeting reiterated there was no funding available
in the council's long-term council community plan (LTCCP) to
develop the proposal.
The Dunedin Cable Car Trust is promoting the project to have
cable cars used on a 1.5km route linking the Exchange and
Mornington.
A second group of three Dunedin men has proposed a route that
would take cable cars from the Dunedin Railway Station,
through the Octagon and up Stuart St.
Both projects were the subject of an independent feasibility
study commissioned by the council, which questioned the
economic feasibility of either but showed the High St project
was the more practical of the two.
Speaking at yesterday's meeting, council strategy and
development general manager Kate Styles said if the High St
project was to proceed, the trust would have to present a
more detailed outline to the council's annual plan hearings.
The trust has already indicated a willingness to continue
with a detailed investigation of the route, which would cater
for commuters.
Cr Chris Staynes, who has met both groups, said there were
many issues still to resolve, including health and safety
considerations related to whether open heritage cars could be
used.
"They may end up at [January's] annual plan. My gut feeling
is it will take a bit longer than that," he said.
However, the end result could be "quite a significant
catalyst" for heritage tourism in Dunedin, he said.
Committee chairman Cr John Bezett said he had been "nervous"
about running cable cars in Stuart St, because of the cost
and disruption to traffic.
However, the council's report on the High St proposal showed
there was "some support for what they are advocating".
Deputy mayor Syd Brown said more details on costs were
needed, as the feasibility study identified capital costs of
up to $19 million would be required for the High St route.
"How is that going to be funded?
"We need to get a better picture of what we are being asked
to support. Until we get that . . . we shouldn't be giving
them any indication of support," he said.
The trust took issue with some of the feasibility study's
conclusions, but council chief executive Jim Harland said the
trust would have to study the report in detail and bring back
its own information that addressed the findings.
He said he would encourage the trust to look at other
potential sources of capital for the project.
Cr Richard Walls said cable cars would "return to Dunedin
something that was a unique part of our history", but the
chances of the project going ahead were only between 20% and
50%.
"That's how tough it will be," he said.
Councillors voted to invite the trust to bring the findings
of its detailed investigation of the High St cable car
project back to the council at a later date.
Trust spokesman Phil Cole said, in a media release, the group
welcomed the council's encouragement.
A meeting of the trust and supporters would be held in
January, with fundraising and other issues debated, followed
by a full survey of High St residents and businesses, he
said.
"It is vital for the success of the project that the
Mornington community are supportive."
chris.morris@odt.co.nz
High St the right route
Dunedin was the second city in the world to get cable cars. Restoration along an original route would attract tourism - and combined with the Taieri Gorge Railway would start to identify Dunedin as a major destination for transport tourists. High St is so like San Francisco it is uncanny. High St is not heavily loaded with traffic, is an ideal cable car run - not too many curves - is an original route, and offers outstanding views. High St is the logical choice. If it is successful there, cable cars could be run on other Dunedin routes, as well.
Tram plan
To be a success it has to be used every day by tourists, a decent proportion of the general public, and students. Therefore it has to link the main attractions around central Dunedin and include the main shopping areas and supermarkets. Unless you live in Mornington, why would you go there (no disrespect). What about a figure of 8 route for trams around the city centre, which could be built in 4 phases. The first loop would start at the Exchange, go up Princes St, the Octagon and George St (past the main hotels, art gallery, cinemas, theatres, Bars, town hall, restaurants and shopping areas), then hang a right at Albany St to the Otago Museum and University. It would then take another right back down Cumberland Street (via Emily Siedeberg Rd) past the hospital, all 3 supermarkets, Cadbury's, left down Lower Stuart St past the Railway Station, right past Chinese Garden and Early Settlers, right up through Queens Gardens and right back to the Exchange (casino and possible site of the future library.) The 2nd loop would start from the Otago Museum continuing on down Albany Street to Anzac Ave, going past all the University buildings south of the Leith River, past Forsyth Barr Stadium (close to Logan Park Cricket Ground and the Caledonian). It would then go back up Union St, past all the University buildings on the north bank of the Leith River and the Polytechnic, cut straight through the University via Leith Walk and Union Place, back onto Cumberland Street, hang a left and join the other loop towards the hospital and supermarkets. By being at the heart of the University and providing easy, accessible public transport to the supermarkets and attractions of the centre of town, it could be partly funded by including a standard charge within the Students' Association or University fees in exchange for free annual use. A further loop could be built out to the Gardens, again from the Otago Museum if required.
On the rails?
I welcome this kind of thinking on a subject that has been 'tossed around' for many years. Probably as tough a challenge as restoring a cable car line but possibly the ultimate 'people mover' within the city centre. Unfortunately the Christchurch experience suggests few locals would use it but hey, this is Dunedin and we have different geographic characteristics and residential focii.
If the return of trams (or light rail) in the CBD and adjacent inner areas is ever going to be 'a goer', we well need to restore 'The Kettle Grid' and get rid of the one way street system.
Only 7% of traffic which enters Dunedin is "through traffic" - that apparently hasn't changed for years. So, what purpose does the American designed one-way system really serve?
Do we need only Cumberland Street with two way traffic serving as a State Highway? Or Cumberland Street and the completed Bypass say at Frederick Street (as is contemplated under the one-way system anyway)
The Positives: Great King Street becomes two way and fulfills its valuable role as a through street from Moray Place to The Octagon and an alternative route to George Street for traffic.
That means space for trams in George and possibly restricted parking and traffic (maybe even partial pedestrian mall spaces between some blocks), given Great King would take the traffic flow on one side and Filleul but to a more limited extent on the other. This could mean changes for the better at the Pitt/London/Frederick/George Street intersection, in particular.
With only one SH on Cumberland, albeit a two-way one, the university campus and, in particular, the Otago Museum are no longer "islands' between two 'speedways' as they are now.
Against: without the one way street system, motorists would have to add 2-3 minutes to centre city journey time. I cannot think of any other negatives, can you?
Worth it? Well certainly worth thinking about trams or no trams.
Unlike 'Greggles' with his negative plaint, things only happen when people think positively in big spaces. That does not mean, we are going to suddenly get cable cars, trams or anything at all. But, at the very least, the idea put forward by 'Nor-easterly' and others like him need thinking about in the overall context of future planning for the city we would like Dunedin to be (say) 20-50 years from now.
Slainte.
NB: minor edit to clarify penultimate paragraph. (2.10pm 26.11.09)
Imagine...
Imagine how much easier it would be for the project to go ahead if 10 times the cost of this project hadn't been spent on a stadium that has no purpose but concerts that don't exist and rugby games for the old boys club.