Subscribe to RSSArthurs Pass Cycletrail By Railway- Plan
A Southern Alpine-Pacific Cycle Trail, along the Midland Line railway and extending from Arthur’s Pass to Brooklands Lagoon, is the latest cycleway project being mooted.
The 155 km route runs parallel in places to the Midland Line railway almost as far as Springfield, then along the south bank of the Waimakariri River within the Waimakariri River Regional Park, owned by Environment Canterbury.
It’s estimated that, when cycling from Arthur’s Pass, the route would take three to four days on a generally downhill gradient.
Townships such as Arthur’s Pass, Springfield, and Darfield are well placed to provide accommodation, meals and other services for visitors.
Arthurs Pass | Google Maps
An application to the Ministry of Tourism for engineering feasibility funding to carry the concept to the next stage of development is being led by Environment Canterbury.
A working group comprising Kiwirail, the Selwyn District Council, Kiwirail, the Department of Conservation, local land owners, business and community groups has worked on it.
It would be marketed alongside existing tourism operations such as the world famous TranzAlpine Railway with the pitch that you could the train to Arthur’s Pass, hire a bike and then ride back to Christchurch, enjoying beautiful alpine views, braided rivers and tussock lands.
Sounds fun. I love that region and am so pleased these cycle trails are being developed all over the country. Count me in for this one. I’ll go prepare the bike now.
2 Comments
Sounds like a nice idea but I’m sure a quick engineering feasibility report would consign it to the dustbin. The railway corridor through much of this region is very narrow and consists of numerous old viaducts and tunnels which would make things very difficult and expensive.
Bridges are probably the big problem with alot of cycleways, if existing bridges aren’t wide enough then very expensive to build a new one, or add a clip on. Will soon eat up the $50 million without getting anywhere near a ‘national cycleway’.
Would this cycleway would also be the route for the grand Boardband network plan envisioned by our glorious government?