Parking in Queenstown is set to become more expensive after councillors voted to adopt a strategy to encourage people to use public transport in the resort.
Queenstown Lakes District councillors voted unanimously to accept the Queenstown Town Centre Transport Strategy - mode shift improvements, at a full council meeting in Wanaka this afternoon.
The changes mean in some cases motorists will pay a daily maximum of $40, for 10 hours, to park in a council-owned carpark.
All-day free carparking would also be removed at the One Mile roundabout and in the Queenstown Gardens.
The changes will be phased in from December 4 to March 31.
The location of four public transport stops in Camp St between Shotover and Ballarat Sts would still need to be considered by the council.
Using Athol St for public transport would also be considered again by the council.
Mayor Jim Boult said the changes had caused some angst among people, particularly those who lived outside of Queenstown but commuted and the council may need to look at options such as a park and ride system at Frankton.
Councillor John MacDonald said much of the angst came from people not knowing what the alternatives would be and the Otago Regional Council needed to release the details of its new public transport schedule as soon as possible.
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Comments
But seemingly every second day this same council is permitting the development of new hotel with little or no parking. The district plan allows that. Does council really think that all tourists in Queenstown fly in and out?
If you ignore a sore long enough it turns into the festering mess traffic has become in Queenstown. Queenstown needs a lot more than a half hourly bus service and increased parking fees.