ULTra Personal Rapid Transit System
Posted in Models, RDAG by Kate Archdeacon on January 21st, 2009
ULTra (Urban Light Transport) is a model of PRT that has developed beyond the concept stage and is currently being tested at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5. Personal Rapid Transport has been advocated since the 1950s as offering “on-demand, non-stop transportation, using small, independent vehicles on a network of specially-built guideways”. [wikipedia]
BAA have funded the development of the system to reach the pilot phase, which started in December 2008. The goal is to transport passengers from the N3 carparks, and locals from nearby Longford village to Terminal 5 for connections with flights, other transport systems and facilities at the airport.
The electric vehicles recharge their batteries at stations while waiting for passengers. The trip takes around 3 to 5 minutes and the service will remove 9 buses per hour from the surrounding roadways.
PRT systems have supporters as well as detractors, but this recent trial may be able to address some of the difficulties experienced by others in the past.
While the current pilot phase doesn’t yet meet some of the goals of the original PRT concepts, as an emerging transport system the ULTra is well worth watching.
This system allows Terminal 5 to become a transport hub for locals as well as air passengers. In addition, it supports an emerging proposal that metropolitan transport hubs could be used to provide services and facilities such as fresh food markets, banking and post offices for local and transitionary customers.
