“Solar-powered sails the size of a jumbo jet’s wings will be fitted to cargo ships, after a Sydney renewable energy company signed a deal with China’s biggest shipping line. The Chatswood-based Solar Sailor group has designed the sails, which can be retro-fitted to existing tankers. The aluminium sails, 30 metres long and covered with photovoltaic panels, harness the wind to cut fuel costs by between 20 and 40 per cent, and use the sun to meet five per cent of a ship’s energy needs. China’s COSCO bulk carrier will fit the wings to a tanker ship and a bulker ship under a memorandum of understanding with the Australian company, which demonstrates the technology on a Sydney Harbour cruise boat. ‘It’s hard to predict a time line but at some point in the future, I can see all ships using solar sails - it’s inevitable’, said the company’s chief executive, Dr Robert Dane. Once fitted, the sails can pay for themselves in fuel savings within four years, Dr Dane said. They don’t require special training to operate, with a computer linked in to a ship’s existing navigation system, and sensors automatically angling the sails to catch a breeze and help vessels along.”
Ref: Ben Cubby, SMH, 28/10/08

“The British Government has agreed to include aviation and shipping in a law setting targets to cut greenhouse gases. An amendment to climate change legislation tabled by ministers will compel the independent Climate Change Committee to take emissions from planes and tankers into account when it calculates carbon budgets, after more than 50 Labor MPs demanded the legislation be changed.”
Ref: ABC News, 29/10/08

A real ‘step change’ in city transportation logistics, Freight*Bus marks the integration of passenger and freight transportation. It will have a profound impact on city infrastructure, providing increased passenger and freight capacity, improved convenience and service, whilst reducing congestion, pollution and real costs.

On-Route’ is a radical new urban transportation system concept which would see a Freight*BUS™ optimise the carrying of passengers and freight, thereby tackling the problems of both congestion and pollution.

The Freight*BUS has been designed with a zero-emission propulsion system able to accommodate either a battery fuel-cell system or small bio gas generator to maintain fully charged batteries. It also features other state-of-the art technologies such as distributed wheel motors and completely new inventions, like ceiling-suspended seating and a patent-protected pallet-less lifting and handling device. The ability to turn in its own length & ‘crab steer’ is great for tight fit bus stops & bus station manoeuvres.

This avant-garde concept requires a whole new way of thinking about urban transportation systems; stakeholders are invited to help take this model to the next level.

A multi disciplined design specialist has come up with a radical urban transport proposal, called On-Route, which he believes tackles the two biggest problems caused by city-centre transport today; congestion and pollution. Hugh Frost’s Freight*BUS™ www.freight-bus.co.uk is an innovative new design that combines a passenger-carrying bus with that of freight haulage with the minimum of disruption to either service. It can be reconfigured in seconds by the conductor or driver to carry freight and passengers. Furthermore, passenger space & freight space can be easily adjusted to match demand.

Frost’s proposal was submitted to Transport for London (TfL)’s ‘A New Bus for London’ competition,’ which Mayor of London Boris Johnson launched earlier this year. Although the Freight*BUS was not the final winner of the competition, Hugh Frost, designer and concept originator of the On-Route system www.onroutebus.co.uk and the Freight*BUS still wishes to take his idea to the next level and is now looking for stakeholders to help him do this. These could be in the form of bus or commercial vehicle manufacturers who are interested in developing the Freight*BUS from conceptual state into a full-blown prototype; a municipality which would consider trialling the On-Route system, or stakeholder investors, such as venture capitalists that specialise in environmental transportation solutions.

“Taking London as an example, the most optimistic proposals put the average occupancy of its buses at 25%. However, our calculations show that for around four hours a day, their utilisation drops to as low as 20%,” Frost says. “Despite this, city authorities are tasked with increasing the numbers of vehicles, routes and service frequency to supposedly reduce congestion and improve services. My idea is to put our cities’ buses to good use by using them to provide an alternative city freight system at times of low passenger capacity utilisation. This could reduce the numbers of freight vehicles on city roads by as much as 30%. By using the buses to carry freight in the evening and overnight, the utilisation of these vehicles would be maximised, offering maximum return on investment (ROI) and substantially increased revenue from the vehicles. However, in order to fulfil this dual role, the entire concept of buses, as we know them today, needs to be revisualised.”

With this in the mind, the Freight*Bus has been designed to allow varying combinations of passenger & freight space to match demand. In full passenger configuration, it provides seating for up to 90 passengers - that’s 43 more than the bendy-bus and standing room for a further 40 passengers. With standing room only on the lower deck, it could accommodate 150 people with 52 seated. Meanwhile, in its full freight configuration the Freight*BUS is designed to accommodate 35 freight pods (equivalent to 35 europallets).

Loaded with other State-of-the-Art Technology

The Freight*BUS combines a number of completely new ideas, patents for which have already been applied, combined with leading-edge technology that is already proven in automotive applications or is undergoing extensive on-road trials.

The design of Freight*BUS will readily accommodate battery or fuel cell technology. The 200mm deep space in the main floor of the bus will house batteries or fuel cells and the accompanying hydrogen storage tanks (if required). Indeed, it is envisaged that when fuel cell technology is affordable, that the fleet could be easily switched to this propulsion system, while keeping the drive motors and control systems in place. Similarly, its re-configurable interior design could even be broadly applied to existing vehicles built with combustion engines. However, it is the designer’s view that the latest and emerging advances in battery technology will make the re-fit and the use of hydrogen and fuel cells unnecessary. Freight*BUS would also feature the very latest in other emission-saving technology , such as distributed wheel motors which can be as much as 50% more efficient that central motors.

With the latest battery technology, an 80% recharge is possible in around 1 minute. This could be done at bus stations or other major stops, with a recharge point built into key bus stops. These 1 minute recharges do not seriously affect battery life and can be performed within the duration of a standard stop. Alternatively, in the short term, the electric drive & battery storage system could be ‘hybridised’ with a small, efficient, clean burning LPG fuelled, 2 litre generator to top up batteries on the move. Adopting the all battery concept will enable off peak green energy to be stored in the vast reservoir of battery energy that would be created by large fleets of the Freight*Bus.

In respect of carriage versatility, seating is suspended from the ceiling and can be configured for almost any combination of passenger & freight space between these limits. This is achieved by designing the seating to be folded away. In fact, each 2 person seat (on both decks) can be folded into the ceiling in seconds. Seats are fixed to the ceiling through special anti-vibration mounts to improve ride quality. In terms of the vehicle’s freight-carrying capabilities, a pallet-less lifting & handling device is key to easy loading/unloading. Indeed, a crucial part of the interior design is a compact, low cost pod handling system, which has patent protection.

Route Consolidation

When looking at the idea of consolidation in relation to bus routes and passenger transport, Frost quickly realised that not only were there opportunities to improve bus routing & linking with other transport services and types using consolidation principals, but that there is an even bigger opportunity to use the buses for freight as well as passenger movement that would reduce the numbers of goods vehicles on city roads (especially light goods vans which are responsible for 15% of all UK carbon emissions from all forms of transportation) by as much as 50%. He remarks: “We looked at passenger & freight systems end to end and concluded that there is sufficient overlap to be able to build on and integrate existing infrastructure of both passenger & freight systems. However, it will be necessary to develop consolidation centres and cross-docks for freight movement, and hubs for passenger and freight delivery and collection. Many of these elements already exist and can be linked into existing infrastructure such as bus/rail stations & depots; haulage/sorting depots etc. Hubs would also be located at major bus stops, and concentrations of retail, commercial & light industrial units.

Frost points to studies which have already been carried out in London showing that the implementation of alternative freight systems, including the use of ‘Consolidation Centres’ in city areas can give exceptional results. One such study found a 68% reduction in construction vehicles entering the City of London for the project, an average journey time reduction of 2 hours, a circa 75% reduction of CO2 emissions, and a 10% reduction in local distribution journey times. The On-Route Bus supports the existing aims of the London Freight Plan as set out of in the Mayor of London’s existing Transport Strategy.

For more details of the On-Route and Freight*BUS concept, see

www.onroutebus.co.uk

Hugh Frost

In July 1998 the European Commission and the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) came to an agreement that committed ACEA to reduce the CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars by over 25% .

In the UK, a number of steps have been taken to promote the purchase and use of more fuel efficient vehicles:

Since March 2001, a system of Graduated VED (vehicle excise duty) has been applied to new cars, based primarily on their level of CO₂ emissions. Since April 2002, company car tax has been based on the CO₂ emissions of the vehicle provided to an employee for their private use. In 2006 a new zero rate for cars with the lowest carbon emissions and a new top band for the most polluting cars was introduced. This has partially been the result of the failure by car manufactures to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions from vehicles.

A new colour-coded environment label for all new cars began appearing in UK car showrooms from July 2005. The consumer-friendly label has been designed to help car buyers assess the climate change impacts of different cars. It will also emphasise that - increasingly - better environmental performance means lower road tax and lower running costs. The gradations on the label are consistent with the CO₂ bandings used for Vehicle Excise Duty

More information on the labels.

More information on the Excise Duty.

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

In 2001, Calgary Transit entered into a partnership with electricity companies to develop a program that supports wind-generated electricity. The light rail transit system “Ctrain” (similar to Melbourne’s trams) comprises of 223 vehicles operating on two routes using 45 kilometres of track. Although CTrain does not produce tailpipe CO2 emissions, the system originally used power from coal and natural gas (producing greenhouse gases). Under the new arrangements, 12 windmills located in Southern Alberta generate wind-power, and the equivalent amount used by the CTrain is contributed to the main power grid.

The transition to the use of wind-generated power reduced CO2 emissions by 26,000 tonnes annually. As the CTrain lines are extended, the savings in emissions will also increase.

Mass transit, especially under conditions of high occupancy, invariably produces lower emissions than motor vehicles, on a passenger:kilometre basis. This eco-advantage is further improved when traction electricity is generated using emission free sources.

Calgary Transit Ride the Wind

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

Certain motorised vehicles which drive within a clearly defined zone of central London between 7am and 6pm have to pay a daily Congestion Charge of ₤25, for a day’s use of the zone. The zone is well mapped and signposted, and was extended west in 2007. Residents of the zone are exempt from the charge.

Impetus for the introduction of the fee included the following statistics:

• London suffered the worst traffic congestion in the UK and amongst the worst in Europe
• Drivers in central London spent 50% of their time in queues
• Every weekday morning, the equivalent of 25 busy motorway lanes of traffic tried to enter central London
• It was estimated that London lost between £2-4 million every week in terms of lost time caused by congestion

The main objectives of the charge are to reduce congestion and raise funds for investment in London’s transport system. The scheme is part of a broader sustainability transport plan. Congestion pricing can only be effective when viable alternatives are made available.

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

Buses are fitted with bike racks, usually at the front of the bus, for bicycles to be loaded onto. In some cases the front plate of the bus needs to be modified so that the bicycle does not block the headlights. Current systems have restrictions and difficulties. Buses can only carry a few bikes, not all buses in existing systems are fitted with racks and the turnaround time at stops appears to be adversely affected.

This is an emerging system with as-yet unrealised potential.

ACTion Bus Network, Canberra

PeopleMover, Anchorage Alaska

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

Predit is a French programme of research, experimentation and innovation in land transport, started by the ministries in charge of research, transport, environment and industry. It is not so much a case study as a methodology or a project management system.

Predit has multiple levels of governance and a diverse range of foci which are connected but cover specific and different areas. Two of the groups are directly involved with transport: “Mobility, territories and sustainable development” and “Logistics and Merchandise Transport”.

The programme promotes collaboration between the private and public sector; it creates proposals which are then applied, tested and adjusted; and it makes its reports available to the public. It operates at a variety of technical-expertise levels. It assesses projects on four different criteria - societal (urban environmental impacts/gains) benefits, economic benefits, social benefits and environmental benefits.

In its third iteration, the objectives were to ensure the sustained mobility of people and goods, increase the safety of transportation systems and reduce environmental impacts. Predit 4 launched in May 2008.

There is usually a flat monthly fee plus a fee based on kilometers travelled. The premium is calculated dynamically, often with a GPS system. Under typical insurance programs, one ‘justification’ drivers may use for driving when other modes may in fact be more suitable to the task, is that the insurance is already paid for, and to not drive may be seen as ‘wasting money’. The Pay as You Drive scheme from Norwich Union can also reward drivers who prioritise alternative modes, and form part of an integrated strategy to reduce car travel. The further developed version, Tripsense, also includes speed, acceleration, and time of day in its calculation of premiums. The Norwich Union pilot program is no longer available to new customers.

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

TransLink (legally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) is the organisation responsible for the regional transportation network of Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, including public transport and major roads and bridges. TransLink was created in 1998 (then called the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, or GVTA) and fully implemented in April 1999 by the Government of British Columbia to replace BC Transit in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (now Metro Vancouver) and assume many transportation responsibilities previously held by the provincial government. TransLink is responsible for various modes of transportation in the Metro Vancouver region.(Wikipedia)

There is opportunity for an increased level of coordination when transport modes fall under the one governance umbrella, compared to when modes have to or are encouraged to compete for patronage.

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.

In HomeZone streets, right of way is permanently returned to cyclists and walkers (Cyclovia cf.). The concept was initiated by Dutch communities in the late 1970s, and continues to be well-utilised in The Netherlands and, to a lesser extent, Britain. HomeZones are developed in partnership with the local council in areas where streetscapes are not conducive to community-life or sustainable forms of mobility. They have a strong local/grassroots focus, and create opportunities to use low energy-intensive modes of transport such as walking and cycling.

From “Innovation in mobility for sustainable outcomes” case studies by Geoff Browne.