News Update
PRT Consulting makes it our business to continuously monitor and/or participate in the implementation of personal rapid transit around the world. This page provides breaking news along with links where available. Further information can be obtained from our newsletter.
PRT News
March 2008:
In their February 2008 Newsletter, Vectus announced that they have finalized their safety case. They have submitted the complete safety case to the
Swedish Railway Agency (SRA) where they have been proven to meet and exceed safety requirements established for PRT. SRA has reviewed the
Vectus safety case and third party assessor’s report. Vectus reports SRA is pleased with the safety work performed and has accepted the safety
case and third party assessor’s reports. Read more...
February 2008: Airport casts pods in future transport role
Construction is proceeding rapidly on elevated guideways for a 3·8 route-km T-shaped 'personal rapid transit'
line which will connect the future Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow airport with a car park for business class passengers from 2009.
Read more...
January 2008: The Connective Tissue of Better Mobility - by Jerry Schneider
Two high-profile Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) systems are currently under construction, and their
implementation could serve as a model for how cities can better connect their existing transit systems to improve mobility.
Read more...
December 2007: Heathrow transit system a world first. BAA, as part of its plan to transform
Heathrow Airport, has started work on phase one of the world’s first Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) System,
to be deployed across the airport.
Read more...
September 2007: Vectus has built up the test track during
the fall of 2005 and the spring 2006 in Uppsala, Sweden.
The second vehicle with cabin has now arrived in Sweden and is ready
for testing. The first complete vehicle has been in the process of
repeating many of the tests performed with the chassis, but additional
tests including interaction with the station and various cabin functions
with test engineers onboard, have been performed.
Test Track
August, 2007: The first full production vehicle, manufactured by ARRK in Basildon Essex,
has been delivered to the Cardiff trials site. The new vehicle features a more powerful motor, full climate
control, and the complete passenger interface. This vehicle now starts commissioning trials.
Press Release
June, 2007: Construction Underway at Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport.
Construction of the T5 end of the track started in January 2007 and there are now 22 foundations
completed for the overhead section near T5.
Heathrow has also featured ULTra in its recent literature:
Heathrow a New Airport
LHW Inform Issue 4
March, 2006: EU Research Finds PRT Favorable
The European Commission Transport Research Knowledge Centre publishes an extensive collection of research summaries.
The study on Other Modes finds that PRT could alleviate transport problems at a lower cost than any other transport system,
and would contribute to all related policy objectives. Other innovations in transit are also mentioned.
Project Report
October, 2005: BAA announced that
it is purchasing a personal rapid transit (PRT) system for London's Heathrow
Airport. This is the first purchase of a modern PRT system. Older PRT-like systems
have operated at West Virginia University for over 30 years and at Schipol Airport
in Holland for about seven years.