Heathrow builds innovative transportation system

The first personal rapid transport (PRT) networks are being constructed for trial at Heathrow's Terminal 5 building and may be in operation when the terminal opens next year.

The transportation system will use 18 driverless four-seater pods to transfer people from the terminal building to the car parks. The vehicles will run on a dedicated network which operates on less energy than a light rail system. Each pod is controlled by an internal computer and is equipped with an onboard sensor system.

The idea for the personal rapid transit system was first conceived and rejected over a century ago, however technological developments have made the system more and more feasible in a world suffering from traffic congestion and pollution. The system offers public transportation in the privacy of a car-like vehicle.

The 3.5 kilometers of guideway being constructed at Heathrow is a small project, however it is the first public test of this kind of transportation. If the system proves to be successful between the terminal and the car park, it may be extended to other areas of the airport and even in to the cities beyond.

The system is called Ultra and is manufactured by a Bristol-based company, Advanced Transport Systems. According to the company, the system offers a minimum waiting time for pods (up to 12 seconds), no stops en route to the destination, no traffic and all using about a quarter of the energy that same distance would take by car. Unlike buses and trains, passengers using the PRT would always get a seat.

Cardiff's former lord mayor described the system as "public transport that is waiting for you, rather than you waiting for it".


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Jennifer JonesEditorial


11/10/2007


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