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Work starts on Cardiff driverless transport system 19/6/2001
Work has started on building a test track for Cardiff's new transport system which will be the first of its kind in the world.
Driverless cars will take passengers around the city under the ULTra (Urban Light Transport ) on a dedicated track.
"This will have enormous benefits for the traveling public and give Cardiff something totally unique," said Deputy Mayor Christine Priday.
£It will be complementary to trains and buses, not replace them, and we are very pleased that the test track is being set up in Cardiff because as a go-ahead city we want to be in the forefront of all new developments.£
Developers Advanced Transport Systems Limited said the trials would last for about a year before the first routes would be started in Cardiff Bay.
£This scheme is science fact and not science fiction because it uses existing technology and we look forward to operating the first fully operating system in Cardiff,£ said ATS chairman, Trevor Smallwood.
Nearly £3m has been provided by the Government for the one-kilometre test track which will be in a figure of eight with elevated sections and a station.
Three new battery-operated vehicles, containing various levels of automation, will run on rubber wheels. They will look at all aspects of passenger comfort including ticketing and mobility access.
The £personalized taxis£ which weigh about one tonne will be pre-programmed using a £smart card£ electronically and each station will have a CCTV camera for extra safety and to deter vandals.
ULTra is the brainchild of Professor Martin Lowson of Bristol University who previously worked on the moon-landing space programme.
ULTra facts
* The maximum speed of the ULTra is 25mph.
* All stations will be off-line in bus-style lay-bys.
* Fares are likely to be around £1 a journey. Waiting time will be much less than for a bus.
* Security cameras will cover all stations and video systems may also be installed in vehicles.
* The track will be 1.5 metres in width, less than half the width of a single lane of road. There could be both level and elevated tracks.
* Safety will be ensured by a fixed block signalling system similar to trains, supported by a safety sensor suite within each vehicle.
* Through using a smart card, passengers will be able to tap in the destination they want.
The first phase including building costs will be around £30m with the whole scheme linking the city centre, civic centre and Bay to cost £45m. Funding will be sought from the National Assembly and Europe, if the project proves feasible. The costs of a system are between one-third and a half that of an equivalent light railway system. The developers say the Ultra cars will be designed to be resistant to vandals.
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