The ongoing development of Very Light and Ultra Light Rail technology has the potential to transform connectivity in small and medium sized UK cities across according to experts from the sector. At a recent summit in Manchester, Colin Robey, from the UKTram Centre of Excellence, said that the sector needs a new mindset that embraces all potential forms of light rail if it is to compete with other modes of transport.
Mr Robey told those at the summit: “We must ensure that we sell the entire sector as light rail and not distinguish between the many factions that it contains, including everything from tram/train to ultra-light rail. For example, the bus industry will decide on a service and size of vehicle that matches patronage requirements, and they often incorporate a range of different options – from full-sized coaches to small mini-buses. At the planning stage, the focus will be on the bus routes rather than the size of the vehicles that will operate on them. You cannot decide the vehicle until the business case requirements are fully understood.
“Thanks to the success of our existing light rail systems, sometimes our sector can appear to prioritise the promotion of full-scale tramways and metro systems rather than ‘lighter’ alternatives that may be more viable. However, times have changed, and in today’s economic climate we need to focus clearly on reducing the costs of future projects and speeding up their delivery, without compromising on safety or the clear benefits that rail-based transit systems can provide.”
The development of Very Light Rail and Ultra Light Rail means that the technology is becoming a cost effective way to reduce congestion, attract inward investment and improve the local environment. Coventry are already developing plans based on Very Light Rail technology whilst Stoke have also suggested it could be an option for improving congestion in their local area.
The UKTram Centre of Excellence is currently building on the work it has done on developing a route map which aims to help sponsors and promoters build a solid case for their plans and a clear path towards successful operations. A pre-route map will help them to focus on the Business Plan, which would ultimately drive the size of vehicle or mode required.
Mr Robey added: “Following the success of projects such as Pre-Metro in Stourbridge and research being done in Coventry, VLR and ULR projects are becoming increasingly realistic options for many large towns and smaller cities. Already such schemes are under consideration in Bath, Bristol, Stoke-on-Trent, Isle of Wight and Folkstone, and, moving forward, the Centre of Excellence is committed to helping promoters to find the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions.”
Given that the order for electric buses in Milton Keynes has just been cancelled, it seems that the New Austerity will sound the death-knell of anything new in public transport in the UK. ‘Lighter technology’ was already a step back from funding proper tramways, and doubtless we will have to have diesel buses until they wear out as the only means of getting around.
I can see Bristol and Stoke having a better chance of getting government funding than the other smaller towns mentioned. I notice it’s gone very quiet on the Preston Trampower project with nothing happening at all it seems. I prefer’”proper tramways” to VLR unfortunately they are very expensive to construct.
It all reminds me of previous ‘new technology’ fixes that would be cheap – like the now-cancelled ‘autonomous metro’ on rubber tyres that Cambridge spent so much on planning only a couple of years ago. It all looks good on paper (or CAD screens), but the reality often does not deliver. Remember the Parry People Mover tramways we were going to see constructed cheaply in many cities? Or rather didn’t see. Bath once had a proper tramway planned (as did Cambridge in 1991), but that has long since been given up.