1. Good morning and welcome to conference. As you will now be aware my name is Jon Dare‐
Williams and I would like to start by thanking you for choosing to come and listen to me
speak today on the topic of ‘Personal Rapid Transit’ with the imaginative sub heading ‘it
moved me’. I have two main objectives I would like my presentation to achieve, firstly, to
consider an alternate transport response to support the continued growth and
densification of our cities, secondly, to challenge us as professionals not to be constrained
to the ‘normal’ transport responses to the increasing challenges we face in dealing with the
movement of goods and people. In an attempt to do this I am going to consider the
concept of Personal Rapid Transit by presenting examples of its current deployment and
question whether it has a role to play in responding to urbanization, then, in very broad
terms, consider its potential in Brisbane, our host City. So not a lot to achieve in 20 minutes
then, eh?
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2. I mentioned PRT as a response to urbanisation. As a backdrop it is useful to appreciate that
there has been a recent change in the balance of the World’s population living in rural areas
to living in urban areas. As you will see in the graph, the trend towards more urban living
has been established for some time. Globally, the tipping point between rural and urban
living is reported to have occurred in around 2007. Australia itself presents a picture of long
standing urbanisation with the majority of its population historically clustered within its
main cities.
Urbanization brings with it a number of fundamental challenges. It requires planning for
new cities with higher densities, for expanding existing cities and densifying existing urban
centres. It is reported that dense cities do benefit from more efficient operation pointing to
densification as being more effective than spatial growth.
At the heart of accommodating urbanisation is the need to understand and accommodate
the effective movement of goods and people.
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3. One of the challenges that we face as professionals, I believe, is our propensity to focus on
traditional responses. You will probably all be familiar with the graphic on the screen, or at
least a variation of, which sets a mode hierarchy to how would we like to see the
movement of goods and people accommodated. Within this hierarchy we have a set of
understood modes and, I would propose, are pretty adept at looking at better ways of
prioritising the preferred modes. However, do we constrain ourselves by not looking
laterally enough within our mode hierarchy at alternate responses. Are we, inadvertently,
constrained too early in our optioneering?
I wonder if this is in part to explain why concepts such as Personal Rapid Transport have
struggled in development. Which leads me nicely onto…
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4. PRT. By describing the challenges of urbanization and considering in broad terms whether
we inadvertently constrain our responses to the problems we face now and in the future, I
would now like you to consider whether Personal Rapid Transit can assist in supporting
urbanization and in particular, densification.
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5. So, what is PRT. Well, in the context of this presentation at least, I am referring to systems
such as the Heathrow Ultra PRT System, arguably the most well known system in operation.
For further definition I will refer to the Advanced Transit Association (ATRA) definition of a
Personal Rapid Transit System which states that a system needs to demonstrate the
majority of the following characteristics:
• Direct origin‐to‐destination service with no need to transfer or stop at intermediate
stations
• Small vehicles available for the exclusive use of an individual or small group traveling
together by choice
• Service available on demand by the user rather than on fixed schedules
• Fully automated vehicles (no human drivers) which can be available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week
• Vehicles captive to a guideway that is reserved for their exclusive use
• Small (narrow and light) guideways, usually elevated but also can be at or near ground
level or underground
• Vehicles able to use all guideways and stations on a fully‐connected network
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6. Building on the definition of PRT let’s look at the typical system characteristics;
Vehicles – the vehicles tend to be lightweight pods able to accommodate a small number
of people, around 4, and provide a private climate controlled environment which can carry
passengers between stations. On screen are a number of examples of types of system in
operation or coming into operation. Most current designs are powered by electricity. Power
can either be transmitted via lineside conductors or on‐board batteries which can be
recharged at stops.
Track – There are basically two types of track, a vehicle guideway or rail track. Alignments
can include elevated beams similar to monorails that facilitate rail lines, or bridge‐like
trusses that supporting internal guideways for vehicles.
Stations – To maximise the benefit in urban areas stations can be close together, and are
located adjacent to the mainline so that through traffic can bypass vehicles picking up or
dropping off passengers. Each station will have multiple independently operating stopping
bays to enable vehicles in a system to be stored at stations when they are not in use. When
user demand is low, surplus vehicles could be configured to stop at empty stations at
strategically placed points around the network. This enables an empty vehicle to quickly be
despatched to wherever it is required, with minimal waiting time for the passenger.
Operation – Moving the vehicles around the track on a PRT system is most effectively
achieved through vehicle‐mounted switches or conventional steering. This permits faster
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7. switching, so vehicles can be closer together and simplifies the guideway. Conversely
however, track‐switching (as found on most conventional rail lines) can simplify the vehicle
design.
Performance ‐
• Speeds Most PRT systems operate in the region of 40–70 km/h (25–45 mph). Rail based
systems can achieve higher maximum speeds, typically 90–130 km/h (55–80 mph) and
sometimes well in excess of 160 km/h (100 mph).
• Headway Headway impacts on the passenger capacity of the network. Technology
theoretically permits closer spacing than the two‐second headways recommended for
road vehicles. Ultra PRT currently operates on a 4 second headway but are seeking to
improve this to 2 seconds and potentially below.
• Capacity With two‐second headways and four‐person vehicles, a single PRT line can
achieve theoretical maximum capacity of 7,200 passengers per hour. However, assuming
an average vehicle occupancy of 1.5 persons per vehicle, the maximum capacity is 2,700
passengers per hour. Capacity is inversely proportional to headway. Therefore,
developments in headway can have a significant impact on capacity.
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8. I would now like to guide you through a couple of systems in operation. The first, Known as
the West Virginia University Personal Rapid Transit (WVU PRT), has been in operation
since 1975. It was initially developed during a period of optimism for PRT with the (then)
Urban Mass Transportation Administration of the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) reporting benefits of PRT compared to mass transit. These reports
have been attributed as the catalyst for a spike in the development of PRT systems at the
time.
The track is 13.9 kilometres long and links the University’s separated campuses. There are
five two level stations along the line with access to the system via the upper level. The
WVU PRT is largely elevated and vehicles with rubber tyres run along concrete guideways.
The vehicles contain eight fixed seats with standing room for a further 12 allowing 20
people to travel in reasonable comfort. The vehicles are powered by an electric motor with
electric pickups fixed on both sides of each car which in turn connect to the electrified rails
and can travel up to 50kph.
The WVU PRT uses a centralised guidance system with an early form of moving block
control.
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9. The Heathrow PRT system has been operating successfully since 2011. The route is 3.9km
long and provides a link between the Terminal 5 Business Car Park and the terminal itself.
The Heathrow System consists of rubber‐tyred, battery‐powered ‘pods’ which are driven
autonomously along an open concrete guide way. The pods contain four seats and can
comfortable carry passengers and their luggage. The concrete guide way is supported on a
lightweight steel structure. Laser technology is used to guide the vehicles along the
guideway. The pods are relatively lightweight and have an efficient turning radius’s (five
metres) which would enable the system to accommodate challenging built form (should it
be required).
The Heathrow system uses on‐board guidance systems which eliminate the need for track‐
mounted guideway systems to steer the vehicles reducing the systems complexity and
therefore cost.
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10. Masdar City is an ambitious plan to develop the ‘world’s most sustainable eco‐city’. It is
seeking to create a ‘greenprint’ for the development of a city that can accommodate the
demand for higher density urban living in a more sustainable way. It has many facets to its
vision and one of these is (or more appropriately, was) a pod‐based personal rapid transit
system.
A prototype has been built consisting of a 1.2km track which links a station to the Masdar
Institute of Science and Technology.
The Masdar system consists of rubber‐tyred automated battery‐powered vehicles driven
autonomously and guided by magnets embedded in the tracks. The pods can accommodate
a six person family in comfort. The battery recharges as the pods wait in the stations.
Interestingly, the Masdar PRT was planned to include a freight carrying component (or FRT)
which is capable of carrying loads and deliveries for residents and hotels.
Disappointingly, in 2010 Masdar dropped its plans for the advancement of the PRT system
as part of its movement plan for Masdar City. It has been reported (Consulting, 2010) that a
number of challenges led to this decision:
• Change in the overall city masterplan design which would have required the PRT system
to operate under a pedestrian podium
• A suitable phasing plan addressing whether the PRT should come before, or after the
built form
• Alternative technologies becoming available
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11. I would also like to share two projects that I have worked on which have involved the
concept design of a PRt system.
The first is KACARE, a proposed new city about 60km outside of Riyadh, with clear project
objectives to:
• Create an exemplar sustainable city
• With a High level of internalisation
• Built on the concept of mixed use/ human scale neighbourhoods
Designing a new city from scratch is a great opportunity to integrate transport and land use
planning and create a tiered transport network. In designing KACARE, PRT provided a layer
of transport which could be used for internal trips and also access into the ‘fingers’ of the
development. It also addressed a number of local and cultural issues. These include a low
take up of public transport, a climate that is not conducive to walking and culturally women
are not permitted to drive so PRT could provide opportunity for wider personal travel.
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12. I also had the privilege of working with Gensler (architects) on the concept design for a
system to support pilgrims undertaking one of the rituals of Hajj. The brief required a
system which could
• Accommodate 15,000 pilgrims/ hour
• Be mindful of the fact that they would be captive for 40 minutes
• Be sympathetic in design
• Interface with external transport systems
• Provide boarding and alighting for mobility impaired pilgrims
The plan above shows the concept design for one of the PRT stations (prepared in
conjunction with Gensler) which interfaces directly with a heavy rail station.
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13. Having provided an overview of the types of systems available and currently in operation
and projects in which the deployment of PRT has been considered, let’ summarise the
benefits:
• Public Transport Choice. PRT provides a level of personal service that crosses the
boundaries between public and private transport and could attract a wider audience.
• Personal Security. Combined with well designed boarding and alighting points the
personal nature of PRT enhances the perception of personal safety.
• Environmental Benefits. It has been reported that the direct nature of PRT networks, the
lightweight vehicles and reduced emissions present a favourable case for PRT.
• Equitable access. All vehicles and stations can be designed to be DDA compliant.
• Retro(‐fitability?). PRT has the ability to penetrate into constrained urban areas due to
the opportunity to use lightweight elevated rails and the (relatively) tight turning radii it
can accommodate
• 24 hour access. PRT offers the opportunity for 24hr access as the system is automated
and driverless.
Hopefully, that gives you a brief background into PRT, which leads into considering Brisbane
as a City that could benefit from PRT.
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14. Like many Cities Brisbane is planning for growth. The City Plan adopted by Council in 2014
clearly articulates the strategy for facilitating this growth including the advancement of a
24/ 7, Connected city
The City Plan forecasts that by 2031 pedestrian trips on the City streets will double and bus
trips will continue to increase. To achieve this vision there will need to be an emphasise on
encouraging and facilitating short trips, many of which can be made on foot, Citycycle and
to some extent, taxis and buses.
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15. The map shows a number of the land use clusters within the Brisbane City area. We have
South Bank with its restaurants and leisure areas, the cultural precinct with the museum
QPAC galleries, QUT, the retail centre around Queens Mall and further north to the Eagle
Street commercial and restaurant area. You’ll note that the Brisbane River creates a
significant natural barrier through the City. I have added distances to give some context and
idea of scale. The premise I have is that there are benefits to providing an overlay
transport system that brings the city closer together in time and effort (qld summers are
notoriously humid) for its inhabitants.
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16. New transport networks are often difficult to retrofit into existing urban environments. An
elevated PRT system can overcome this. At a stretch, you could be led to believe from the
examples above that Brisbane was also designed with an elevated PRT system in mind.
• There is already first floor activation; the photos show the pedestrian walkway above the
Cultural Centre bus station that links the Museum to QPAC, there is also Post Office
Square with its retail and food outlets
• The pedestrian walkway along south bank provides a gentle alignment along which a PRT
to run
• And the river just begs to be crossed
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17. Taking the aforementioned opportunities into account, the slide shows a possible
alignment for a simple elevated PRT network for Brisbane. The network seeks to connect
some of the land uses previously mentioned with a single track system. For information,
the elevated cross section would be around 2.1 metres wide (one way) and around 4
metres wide where it to be two way.
The basic form of the network would accommodate:
• Above ground level interfaces with buildings
• Two additional links across the river
• Passing bays at stops
• Location of a depot although pods can be stored at stations
The network image has been extracted from a simple publically available PRT network
analysis tool developed and accessed through Ultra PRT.
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18. A desktop and visual inspection has been undertaken identifying opportunities to:
• Cross the Brisbane River at points which do not conflict with the Riverside
Expressway. You will see from the photo of Adelaide Street which is looking southwest (if
we assume north is to the top of the slide) that there is a great opportunity for a link across
the river.
• Opportunities to relate to existing first floor activity. I have already covered
the opportunity presented by the Cultural Centre again illustrated above.
• Fit within the existing urban form. Again, I refer to the potential to follow the
pedestrian path on South Bank.
• Relate to existing points of interest.
As well as linking the discrete land uses that I have mentioned, a system of this nature
could encourage the ‘extension’ of the CBD. Providing a convenient link across the river will
enable businesses in the South Bank region to relate well to the CBD and facilitate business
to business growth.
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19. The network, with a very broad, un‐evidence based demand matrix, has been run through
the model to generate some data for consideration. What you see here is the extracted
point to point travel times. The times are in minutes and for illustrative purposes I have
drawn out three journeys and undertaken a PRT v Pedestrian comparison:
• The Streets Beach leisure area on south bank – to the
main Shopping precinct, and the Cultural Centre –
Botanic Gardens: 18 minute
walk (2.2 mins, 2.3 mins)
• Commercial – The Wheel:
24 minute walk (2.3 mins)
The reduced travel time reduces the perceived size of the
city and would encourage slightly longer trips on those
humid summer days.
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20. So, to wrap up a whistle stop tour of PRT, it is not presented today as the solution to a City’s
transport problems. It is not presented as an option for dealing with commuter peaks. It is
presented as a mode that warrants further consideration in enabling central city areas to
function more effectively where circumstances present the opportunity. It should be
considered as another tool in the transport planner’s box of tricks to support urbanisation.
The introduction of PRT at a city level presents a step change in transport provision in dense
urban areas. As in the example for Brisbane, start with something tangible, with a deliberate
City building purpose.
For Brisbane, the system presented offers the opportunity to link the discrete elements of the
city together. It helps reinforce the human scale of the city and increases it’s legibility for
infrequent visitors. Connecting the different hubs has a number of possible advantages:
 Encourage linked trip making throughout the day
 Encourage longer tourism trips
 Provide a ‘postcard’ transport system for Brisbane
I would like to thank you for your time and attention and leave you with one request, when
you have a break and walk along south bank, try and imagine what a prt would look like,
and how easily it could get you to Queens Street Mall. Thanks a lot.
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