3 replies to this topic

[Sloan]

http://www.odt.co.nz...rail-plans-roll

[Sloan]

Monorail backers happy tunnel is no more

The people behind a multi-million dollar Fiordland monorail say their project stands a greater chance of success, now that plans for a tunnel to the same destination have been shelved.

http://www.radionz.c...nnel-is-no-more

[Sloan]

Monorail madness in a pristine environment

Ian Billinghurst believes the proposed monorail would be an unwanted and unneeded ecological and financial disaster.

http://www.odt.co.nz...ine-environment


Billinghurst raises some interesting points; however, one issue is missing from his arguments: tourism growth impact. As New Zealand continues to draw tourists, visitors will want to visit wilderness areas that they have seen in movies (Lord of Rings) or TV shows (The Amazing Race). The island ecology will suffer as more and more people blunder about in the back country dropping gear and packaging along the way.

A monorail is a good way to give people a "taste" of the wild from the comfort of a transit vehicle that will operate on a small footprint and provide containment for debris people tend to leave. Using electric power, the vehicles will make minimal noise. They also will be above ground so as not to intrude on biota below.

Sloan

[Sloan]

Monorail Plans to Cut Through Middle Earth Pose Challenges for New Zealand’s Growth

A plan to build the world’s longest single-track monorail through the pristine forests and rivers of New Zealand’s Fiordland is pitting growth advocates against environmentalists.

http://skift.com/201...ealands-growth/