A review is presented of current developments in the field of personal rapid transit (PRT) systems. Advances in technology mean that vehicles can now be 70 per cent more energy-efficient than cars and 50 per cent more sothan buses. Systems briefly outlined include the air-conditioned, solar-powered, programmable PRT vehicles planned for Masdar City, an eco-community in Abu Dhabi. By 2015 it is planned that the network will include 83 stations and use 3000 vehicles running at 40 km/h. At Heathrow the ULTra (Urban Light Transport) system will link Terminal 5 with 2 car parks with vehicles running non-stop along a 4.3 km long track. Through the EU-supported CityMobil project TNO have looked at several European cities and concluded that the concept would work best in smaller cities. WSP have identified and costed 10 locations and Swedish developer Vectus is carrying out adetailed comparison study between bus, LRT and PRT. A preliminary study at the University of Bologna in Italy is examining the use of PRT as part of a scheme to manage traffic heading for tourist destinations and the newPalacongressi Convention Centre. In the United States PRT is being considered for solving growing traffic and mobility problems on the western edge of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Abstract