|
|
ATRA envisions a
future when trans-
portation will all be
orchestrated for the
convenience of people
and their businesses
– as well as for the
benefit of our planet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heathrow to Purchase Ultra PRT System (Oct
2005)  
BAA, the major airport operator
in the UK, has chosen the innovative ULTra Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system
supplied by Advanced Transport Systems Ltd (ATS), to provide better access to its
terminals at Heathrow. The agreement between BAA and ATS also includes an
investment of 7.5million in the company in return for 25% of the equity. The
latter stages of this investment are dependent on meeting developmental milestones.
For BAA, ULTra will provide a high quality service to link the
passenger car parks to the terminal areas. The best location for the pilot scheme
is currently under review.
The ULTra system was developed to provide
a more effective and lower cost solution to the worldwide problems of urban
transport. It uses automatically controlled vehicles, which can fit a maximum of 4
passengers, travelling on their own guideway network to provide an on demand and
non-stop service from any station to any other on the network.
ULTra
offers a new form of public transport, one that waits for the passenger rather than
the passenger waiting for it. This is a new solution to the problems of urban
transport, but one that uses off the shelf technology.
ULTra
offers considerable environmental benefit. It saves more than half of the fuel used
by existing forms of public or private transport, a step towards reducing the
environmental problems at Heathrow. The system is also exceptionally
quiet.
The prototype ULTra system has been under development since
1999, with Government support from the Department of Transport, the Department of
Trade and Industry, NESTA, and the EC. The prototype system was given consent by
HM Rail Inspectorate to carry passengers in 2003.
Mike Clasper,
CEO of BAA, said Two key goals for BAA are the improvement of the local
environment and better service quality for our passengers. BAA believe that PRT
offers an opportunity to meet both of these goals. BAA are delighted to take the
opportunity to invest in the ULTra PRT system which is clearly leading the world in
this exciting and innovative technology
Martin Lowson, Founder
and CEO of Advanced Transport Systems, said it is very satisfying both to be
selected to supply the ULTra system for use at Heathrow and for the work of the ATS
team on the ULTra system to now be supported by a major blue chip investor. We are
working very well with the BAA team and look forward to carrying passengers on the
ULTra system at Heathrow and in other applications around the
world
Contact Details
Martin Lowson, Chief Executive: martin@atsltd.co.uk
Richard Teychenn,
Business Development Director: rteychenne@aol.com
Phone: 44 (0)1454 414
700
Website: www.atsltd.co.uk
Background
Information
Advanced Transport Systems was formed in 1995 as a spin out
company from the University of Bristol to develop a new generation of personal
transport. The objective was to find a new solution to the worldwide problems of
congestion, pollution and inefficiency of existing forms of urban
transport.
Approaches to urban transport problems to date have
centred on conventional bus, rail and road approaches. Operating as they do now,
all have failed to deliver an effective, convenient, environmentally friendly and
economic solution. ATS's ULTra system offers a way to integrate existing
transport more effectively, and create public transport that better meets the needs
and expectations of the travelling public.
The Company has completed
the initial phases of development of a prototype system (named ULTra, Urban Light
Transport). The ULTra system is based on small, light and energy efficient
vehicles on a dedicated guideway network. It gives a personal, automated taxi
service with point-to-point non-stop travel and no waiting. The system offers the
convenience of the car, combined with the capacity of light rail but at a
significantly lower capital cost.
The Company has been funded to
date by a mixture of internal funding and contract funding from both Government and
customers, together with significant in-kind support from major industrial
partners. The work has been supported by the Department for Transport, the
Department for Trade and Industry, NESTA and the EC. The work has culminated in
successful passenger trials for which HM Rail Inspectorate has given consent for
ULTra to carry the public.
Since inception, ATS has also been
working closely alongside major partner engineering companies such as Altran, AMEC,
Arup, Atos-Origin, Corus and Serco to coordinate the deployment of its systems.
The Company has raised in excess of 10M to fund the start-up phase
of the business. The investment of 7.5m from BAA will allow the Company to
complete the final productionisation and commercialisation phases of the
project.
The commercialisation programme lasts three years and
concentrates on the production of the vehicles and the completion and full proving
of the control systems.
The management, technical expertise and
commercial relationships developed by ATS over recent years has created a
significant market opportunity for the Company. There is worldwide interest in
applications of the ULTra system.
The announcement by BAA today is
the first commitment in the world to this new form of transport. ATS believe that
ULTra has a world lead in this new industry and that their technology is two years
ahead of competitive offerings. BAA and ATS believe that the business is well
positioned to exploit the continued pressures to provide sustainable transport
solutions for the 21st Century.
Bologna conference Nov 7-8.
DOCUMENT# 1116
|
|