Townships throughout the district should be easy for everyone to get around, whether that is by foot, bike, car, or public transport, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) general manager property and infrastructure Tony Avery says.

Councillors approved a draft strategy on parking in the district earlier this month and QLDC now wants to hear the community’s views on it.

“In the event you need to head into town in a vehicle, parking should be easy to find and stress free. And that means having enough parking available in the right places, and for a variety of needs,” Tony said.

“Unfortunately, finding a space that suits your purpose and is convenient to where you’re heading is becoming increasingly difficult in our urban centres, and a better approach to managing parking is required to address this.”

The draft parking strategy provides principles to guide decisions on how parking is allocated and prioritised.

As part of this strategy, QLDC will create guidelines on how parking will be managed, and tailor parking management plans to address existing issues within defined areas and town centres, both of which will include future community consultation.

Tony encouraged residents and visitors to the district to read through the strategy and share their feedback.

“Parking is a daily consideration for many, from someone heading into work or delivering goods to a store, a holiday homeowner enjoying their Christmas break here, or tourists visiting to enjoy our little slice of paradise,” he said.

“We’d like to know if council’s got the approach right, or what could be changed to improve parking management in the Queenstown Lakes.”

Tony noted that parking was just one piece of the puzzle, and while solutions would help to resolve some issues in the district, there were other ways to influence the entire transport network.

“We need practical transport alternatives and ways to achieve broader social, environmental, and economic outcomes,” Tony said.

“Council will continue working with Otago Regional Council and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency to improve our transport network, encourage the use of other modes of travel, or to reduce the need to travel at all – all of which will help to reduce the overall demand for parking.”

Feedback on QLDC’s draft Parking Strategy can be shared on QLDC’s Let’s Talk website up until January 28, 2024.

See also:

Pushback on CBD car parking plan

Council moves to retain accessible parking

PHOTO: Wānaka App