Southern Infrastructure Ltd has already taken the first step in the government’s fast-track approvals process for its proposed $400 million gondola system, Queenstown Cable Car, which would link central Queenstown to Frankton, the airport and the Ladies Mile.
However, representatives of Christchurch company Whoosh made a strong pitch to Queenstown Lakes district councillors yesterday for their "Uber in the sky" system, seeking a "working relationship" to co-design a network that would service the same core area.
The backers of the two proposals have been diplomatic about each other to date, even reluctantly indicating they could be complementary.
However, Whoosh chief executive Chris Allington made it clear at yesterday’s council workshop that its system would only make sense as an "all in one" solution for the resort town.
Without mentioning Queenstown Cable Car by name, Dr Allington said any alternative system running between the town centre and airport would be "picking the cherry", making a Whoosh network "commercially unviable".
To get people out of their cars, a transit system had to have a wide network, many small stations and direct journeys without transfers, provide an on-demand service and have minimal infrastructure, he said.
The Whoosh system — fully electric, self-propelling cabins moving around an elevated cable network on an on-demand basis — could achieve all those needs, whereas a gondola system could only meet one or two.
The presentation by Dr Allington and Whoosh chairman Peter Crabtree showed a network of 50 to 80 stations — with small stations every 500 metres or so — extending out to Queenstown’s far-flung suburbs.
However, an initial network of 15 to 20 stations that encompassed the town centre, airport and Frankton could form the core of a network that could be efficiently expanded over time, Mr Crabtree said.
He estimated it would cost $10m per kilometre to build, including stations, meaning a 50km network would cost about $500m — prompting Mayor John Glover to quip it was the "cost of two Frankton roundabouts".
Funding could come from the government as part of a regional deal, from council development contributions, private capital and even levies on property owners who benefited from the infrastructure — through the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act mechanism.
Whoosh will start construction next week of a test track at Christchurch International Airport, with a plan to have it operating by April.
It has also applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for resource consent to build a 1.5km, three-station demo system at Remarkables Park, which would begin operating in 2027.
Yesterday’s council workshop, which was open to the public, came a day after a private presentation to councillors on the Queenstown Cable Car proposal by Southern Infrastructure representatives.
The company applied to the Environment Ministry for referral under Fast-track Approvals legislation on October 31.
Subject to getting consents and approvals, it plans to begin construction in 2027-28, with a goal of having it operating in 2029.
