SailGP Christchurch 2023
The SailGP is a global professional sailing league founded in 2018, featuring high-performance F50 catamarans. The SailGP circuit is composed of a series of regattas that take place at some of the iconic harbours and coastal cities in the world and in 2023 the first ever New Zealand regatta took place in Christchurch, in the harbour of Lyttelton.
What were the challenges involved:
The task of managing traffic was a significant challenge due to this being a new event, with several unknown factors yet to be uncovered. The controls for this event spanned over both the Christchurch City Council and Waka Kotahi network, impacting a diverse range of stakeholders across residential, commercial, and industrial areas, including Lyttleton Port, cruise ships, public transport, and the Christchurch gondola.
The unique Lyttelton road network, with only three entry and exit points, exacerbates the situation by limiting rerouting options for road users. Historically, the Lyttelton area has experienced substantial congestion and safety concerns during events, causing apprehension among various parties. As the event attracted a global audience, local Cantabrians, and visitors from around the country, prioritising event access and reducing congestion became a paramount focus.
What was the role of Qualis:
Our team was initially tasked with devising a comprehensive traffic management plan, approved by the road controlling authorities in advance of the event. We accomplished this by employing a perimeter control strategy with multiple layers of control points, effectively managing access to key locations for those with pre-allocated vehicle passes.
Following this, we played a vital role in procuring the traffic management supplier and ensuring appropriate resources were allocated for the event days. Our team was also on-site alongside the traffic management team, guaranteeing controls were properly understood and effective.
Moreover, our involvement extended to stakeholder and transport management, liaising with businesses, the Police, Fire and Emergency services, the Lyttelton Port Company, as well as event and private bus providers. This was carried out to ensure secure and efficient movement for event attendees. In addition to this, a member of our team was stationed in the on-site Event Operation Centre, actively coordinating with key partner organisations such as the Christchurch City Council, Waka Kotahi, Police, Fire, and Emergency services.
We take immense pride in the successful traffic management during the event, providing smooth and seamless access for attendees without disrupting Lyttelton residents. We are also extremely proud of our team members who were agile in responding to gaps which occurred during the planning process, ultimately contributing to the event's success.
What partnering agencies and stakeholders said:
‘A huge congratulations to Luke and the wider Qualis team on the SailGP traffic management plan. It was an absolute pleasure working with you and it was a sigh of relief as I was heading through the tunnel on the event weekend without even being able to notice it was managed access. I truly believe the success of the event was heavily intertwined with the ease of event attendees getting to and from the event, as well as Lyttelton residents maintaining access to their homes. Fantastic work!’ – Shanti Pirovino, SailGP Project Manager, ChristchurchNZ.
‘Whilst there was a lot of work upfront to establish the general parameters across the interested groups, the various parts did come together in good time and were well rehearsed (as could be) prior to the event. Thank you for you and your team supporting this work through this period of preparation of requirements and helping to flesh it out.’ – Mark Pinner, System Manager – Central South Island, Waka Kotahi.
‘From my team’s perspective the event was delivered very well from a TTM aspect and is a credit to the on-road delivery teams. Certainly, some lessons to be learnt from others outside of the TTM delivery space with regards to roles, responsibilities and scope of what resource is available to respond to non TTM issues within the event site’ – Simon Hodges, Team Leader – Temporary Traffic Management, Christchurch City Council.
‘Another very successful day… Thanks again for your help!!’ – Ben Barlow, Regional General Manager, Go Bus.
‘Congratulations for your successful weekend. From what I saw and heard it was well planned and executed. Well done.’ – Derek Walsh, Manager – Public Transport Operation, Environment Canterbury.
‘Hey Luke, Thanks for all your help over past week or so. You guys did a great job of managing everything…’ – Belinda Swayer, Cruise Operations / Port Manager, ID New Zealand.
‘Just wanted to pass on how great you and your team were to deal with… the team on the ground were fantastic.’ – Ken Davidson, Director of Building Services, Te Pae Christchurch.
‘Everyone I have talked to Luke said they had a good experience with the buses which I guess means the TM was working well. Nice one.’ – Pete Dawson, New Zealand Grand Prix Head of Operations, SailGP.