COP Brief development

Most people approach Access Automation because they want to improve their access. Mark Galvin will meet the potential client at the site and discuss their specific requirements (where they need to get to and from, and, for example, whether wheelchair access is needed). An estimated cost is given at the initial meeting.

If the prospective client is still interested Access Automation prepares a written quotation. This involves a detailed site survey and often puts the location for the cable car in a very different place from the one the client had in mind. Once the quote is complete and the client is satisfied a contract is signed.

A residential style cable car now costs around $35,000, and the gondola style anything from $60,000 up.

COP Planning for practice

The cable car's location

From a technical perspective a cable car can be positioned almost anywhere. From a safety viewpoint it's not the gradient of the land that is the biggest issue, but rather the requirement for clear space. A safe running clearance or movement corridor is required – narrow gaps between homes, or perhaps balustrades or trees or other obstacles, could potentially create a crush hazard. There are no regulations that state safe clearance measurements so this is an area requiring ongoing clarification.

Steepness may offer construction challenges, but does not cause operating problems. In relation to gradient the biggest problem is a lack of steepness because the cable car descends using gravity. Any gradient less than 12 degrees is not practical in windy locations as the wind can stop the car descending.

COP Brief development

The kitset approach

A thorough, accurate and detailed site survey is necessary because of the way Access Automation manufactures each cable car as a complete kit set. There is no welding or fabrication of components on site. Everything is made in the workshop. The rails consist of five-metre-long modules of galvanized steel bolted together on site like a giant mechano set. A 30-metre rail can be erected in two days.

The site survey is crucial because everything must line up and fit together accurately when assembled on site. In some situations involving complex geometry the rail has to curve or change gradient. Also for sites away from Wellington, a registered surveyor's site data allows Access Automation to manufacture the cable car in the workshop and then have it trucked to its location.