Frankton, Jack's Point and Ladies Mile first in line for new transport system

A Kiwi company has unveiled a prototype project to glide above gridlock and Queenstown is set to be its proving ground.

Speaking to Crux at the Christchurch launch of the plan, Whoosh chief executive Dr Chris Allington said Frankton will be the initial test site early next year, but the southern corridor heading to Jack's Point and Hanley's Farm as well as Ladies Mile are the next likely locations. 

Queenstown developer Alistair Porter is a key partner in the first trial, at Remarkables Park, where the plan is for a looped test circuit on a fairly modest scale that can then be quickly added to.

Whoosh chief executive Dr Chris Allington at today's launch in Christchurch.

Whoosh has created an autonomous electric vehicle that travels along an elevated gantry from a to b on request.

The cabins are self powered, as opposed to the more traditional cableway that is powered from two end stations.

The idea is for the vehicles to move between small regularly spaced stations that can be located at ground level or directly connected to buildings and hotels.

It is a concept that is part ride-hailing service, part gondola, and Dr Allington says it is unique.

"Whoosh uses a lightweight guideway that has fixed cables, not moving ones like gondolas. Our vehicles cruise along the guideway, driving themselves fully autonomously and only travelling when needed.

"The vehicles can bypass stations so they take riders directly to where they want to go without stopping unnecessarily.

"The system is low cost, simple to install and easy to expand, allowing the network to grow as demand increases."

He estimates the cost per kilometre to be $5 million, cheaper, he says, than most big roading projects.

Doppelmayr, the company behind Skyline's new supersized gondolas, has already indicated its intent to increase its offerings in Queenstown.

Doppelmayr New Zealand chief executive Gareth Hayman says he has met with the team at Whoosh.

He thinks any collaboration between the two companies has the potential to tackle some significant congestion problems, particularly in Queenstown.

"One of the big differences is the Whoosh system is really almost like a replacement for your car. They're talking about it being an Uber or app based system.

"As we're a cable car system, we have got higher capacities, and probably is more of an equivalent to a bus or or a mass rapid transit system, if you like, able to take those higher capacities and and higher loads."

A vision of the future for Queenstown? (Image: Supplied/Whoosh).

In the Queenstown context, Whoosh could act as an on-call feeder system linking users in neighbourhoods like Lake Hayes Estate or Shotover Country to a transport hub in Frankton, for example, where they could swap onto other elevated infrastructure to reach the Queenstown CBD.

Mr Hayman is hesitant to make cost comparisons between a Doppelmayr cable car and Whoosh, saying he is not privy to what is built into Dr Allington's $5 million figure.

He says Doppelmayr has previously indicated its own estimated build costs.

"We did some work last year...and I believe that we used approximately $40 million per kilometre, but that's also including a lot of station infrastructure and consenting costs, so not just the gondola costs but everything else that goes around it to make the gondola project happen."

Mr Hayman says Doppelmayr's is well developed and tested, "ready to go into operation today".

Destination Queenstown sees the plan as a 'perfect solution'

Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods told Crux at today's launch the Whoosh system combined with a Doppelmayr cableway between Queenstown Airport and the CBD could potentially be the best of both worlds, showcasing Queenstown as a centre for innovation by hosting a world first transport system that solves road congestion and also uses renewable energy sources.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods at today's launch: 'The perfect solution for both residents and tourists'.

Mr Woods says DQ will be throwing its full weight behind the concept and is confident it could solve multiple problems for Queenstown in just one project.

"It will be great for both residents and tourists. That's the beauty of this whole concept. It's just as exciting for an international visitor being whisked from the airport to their hotel as for a resident who wants to get around without any fuss, even with their shopping or bike."

Watch one of the latest concept videos from Whoosh:

Main image (Supplied/Whoosh): Frankton will be the initial test site early next year for Kiwi company Whoosh's innovative transport system that it says 'glides above gridlock' delivering riders to stations either elevated or at ground level.