Upper Clutha Community Shuttle Trial

Lake Wānaka Tourism and QLDC teamed up to fund a second Community Shuttle Trial by Community Networks/LINK Upper Clutha between 29 May and 18 September 2023. This was in response to market research completed by Community Networks/LINK which clearly showed that residents were after more affordable transport options and a way of reducing their carbon footprint through shared transport.

The feedback from commuters of the service has been positive. Patronage numbers for the early morning and evening “express service” between Hāwea and the intra-city loops around the Wānaka townships were less utilised, which indicates that the strongest demand is for inter-township commuting service. The cost and friendliness of the service were also commented on and the most common suggestion for improvement was to extend the period of the service and increase the frequency. 

The aim of the trial was to test the design options for a potential public transport service in the Upper Clutha and collect further patronage data and feedback to inform long-term public transport planning.