Heathrow’s PRT system: an update on progress. David Holdcroft, PRT Manager, BAA.
The Heathrow system has 21 vehicles. They currently have 12 to 13 running at a time. PRT has proven to be very space efficient requiring the relocation of a portion of perimeter fence only.
They have had some software and destination panel glitches. They are planning a full emergency exercise in mid May with the full system opening in late spring followed by a 1 year review process.
BAA is branding the system as the Heathrow Pod – a new travel experience – smart, personal and friendly. The new color scheme includes purple on the lower portion of the vehicles.
They have had a lot of interest in 3rd party sponsorship but passengers do not want internal advertising. They anticipate increasing the charge for parking once the system is operational.
They are considering adding automated way-finding where the rider enters their flight number, airline or car-hire company and the systems knows where to take them.
Snow and ice is dealt with by a special vehicle fitted with snow plows and deicing sprayers. This vehicle can continuously circulate around the system in inclement weather. The objective is to not have the system shut down before the roads do.
They have found that people want to share rides with others. This may become an issue that needs to be dealt with once more destinations become available. Having specific berths dedicated to particular routes may be a solution.
Once the system is open to the general public anyone will be able to use it from Terminal 5.
Insurance of the system has been no problem and is just part of the airport’s regular policies.
Personal rapid transit: how is safety assured? Christopher Elliott, Director, Pitchill Consulting, Ltd.
The Heathrow PRT system carried its first “real” passengers (members of the public participating in passenger trials) last week after receiving safety certification to do so. Final sign-off will be required before the system enters revenue service in June. The system is now real and transportation planners have to take it seriously.
The safety requirements for new transportation systems are much higher than those for existing systems. If introduced today, existing systems would never meet modern safety requirements. Modern systems have to be safe and be seen to be safe.
A good safety system leads to reliability. The Heathrow system safety goal is less than 10-3 fatalities per year (less than one fatality every thousand years).
Both leading PRT systems (ULTra & 2getthere) have built safety into their designs and are having it verified through independent certification.
PRT systems in an APM world. Thomas Ludwig, Head of Automated People Mover Services, Logplan.
PRT will be primarily a landside system with conventional automated people movers (APMs) being primarily airside. PRT competes more directly with cars and buses and is more suitable for landside. However, the cost/benefit of PRT could impact APM systems.
Translating lessons learned at Masdar into an airport environment. Robbert Lohman, Marketing Director, 2getthere.
Benefits of PRT at airports include improved service, cost effectiveness, sustainable and green, makes new connections possible and provides improved accessibility.
All 2getthere vehicles have obstacle detection and will stop for a person on the guideway. Destination selection can be accomplished either outside or inside the vehicle. A blue medical assistance button will redirect the vehicle to the best station and alert responders that it is coming. The technology is now at an advanced stage and having the right people involved is more of a risk than the technology is.
The Masdar safety case is similar to the one for Rivium. Lloyds Register is currently verifying safety.
Masdar stations are not air conditioned and heat gain is a problem. Vehicles connect to a charging plate at berths to allow the air conditioning to keep running. Doors close after 4 to 5 seconds with no one entering or exiting. Dust and corrosion mitigation measures seem to be working.
The first phase at Masdar has 1.5 km of track, 2 passenger stations, 3 freight stations, 8 standard vehicles, 2 VIP vehicles and 3 freight vehicles. The ultimate system is planned for 45 km of track, 2,100 vehicles, 90 passenger stations and 100 freight stations. The current control system configuration can control 100 to 200 vehicles.
The perspective of cities. Suzanne Hoadley Membership Services Coordinator, Polis.
Daventry is still interested in PRT.
Cities considering PRT face the following challenges: legal, certification, risk aversion, visual intrusion, financial and societal.
PRT: the business case and revenue generation. Martin Lowson, Vice Chairman, Advanced Transport Systems, Ltd.
PRT typically reduces commute times by about ten minutes. The literature provides a number of studies indicating what the value of time is. Airport value of time is double that for other applications.
A study of all UK airport car parks found people pay £1.49 extra per stay for every minute they can park closer to the terminal. A good business case can be made for PRT for lots with more than 4,000 spaces that are close in and more than 6,000 spaces further out (10km). 18 hotel data points indicate room rates increase £3 – £6 per minute closer to the airport.
Various studies indicate home values increase 21% on average when they have good light rail access. Commercial properties increase 23% – 120% on average. Property value gain is $65M per km of track.
Master Plan Personal Rapid Transit Analysis for Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Peter Muller, President, PRT Consulting, Inc.
The purpose of the study was to investigate conceptual feasibility of PRT for: surface transport garages to terminals, secure inter-concourse travel, expansion to surface lots, LRT, Amtrak & the consolidated rent-a-car facility (CONRAC).
The following assumptions were made: speeds 15mph close in and 25 mph further out, minimum headways 2 and 3 seconds respectively, maximum theoretical capacities 3,600 and 2,400 passengers per hour per direction respectively. The system comprised 3.6 miles of dual-lane guideway, 7.7 miles of single-lane guideway, and 37 stations. 517 T-Pods were found to be necessary to provide an adequate level of service to the projected daily ridership of approximately 60,000 passengers.
The capital cost of $387M was compared to the capital cost of an APM ($1,194M) that had previously been studied to provide similar service. In addition to having a significantly lower capital cost, the podcar system had shorter trip times, provided seated travel for all and had the capability to deliver passengers inside the terminal building. It also had the potential to provide a loop serving the secure portion of the terminal/concourses. It was postulated that it could be satisfactorily demonstrated to the TSA that passengers entering the system at a non-secure station would not be able to exit at a secure station.
In addition to having lower capital and operating costs than the planned APM system, the PRT system was found to have operating costs of around 60% of those of the present bus service. It was speculated that it could potentially attract more cars to the long term surface lots and boost concession sales in the concourses.
The master plan, of which this study formed a small part, has not yet been adopted by the airport.
Vectus PRT operational experience applied at airports. Jörgen Gustafssen, Chief Technology Officer, Vectus Ltd.
Vectus safety complies with APM standards and is verified by a subsidiary of Lloyds Register. The system operates under distributed asynchronous control with a dynamic moving block vehicle protection system. They have no obstacle detection and have designed the guideway to be inaccessible.
Vectus uses a high-vehicle-flow station design with in-line bays. It is full duplex (board and de-board in the same location). They have found it important to have a spacious vehicle with good access. Their vehicle can be fitted with six seats. They have found actual boarding times to be less than anticipated. A 4-berth station can accommodate 8 – 12 vehicles per minute.
They are investigating a combined vehicle arrangement with 6 – 10 seats and room for 20-30 standing.
The Suncheon system will have 11km of track and 40 vehicles. It is mainly point-to-point but may have three stations. They hope the letter of intent will be finalized in a few weeks. Operations are scheduled to start in February 2013. It is a private-public-partnership.
Today’s airport innovations – tomorrow’s urban transportation systems. Malcolm Buchanan, Director Transport Planning, Colin Buchanan and Partners.
Airports and historic towns have a lot of similarities including congestion and remote parking issues.
Taxi earnings can be an important indicator of the potential for transit improvements.
Connecting terminals to the airport landside. David Little, Principal, Lea + Elliott Inc.
The accessibility, weight and small turning radius of PRT is an advantage. PRT development is such that it is now available within normal project implementation time frames.
