A high-speed, driverless transport network could transform the way people get around in Milton Keynes after the City Council successfully secured government funding to research the innovative project.
Advanced Very Rapid Transport (AVRT) is a new concept in mass transit, using automated vehicles on purpose-designed segregated pathways. The City Council secured £200,000 funding to commission a study to determine how the AVRT project could fit in with the city’s current and proposed infrastructure. It also builds on the City Council’s ambitions to deliver well-planned and sustainable growth through its New City Plan.
The study will look at how AVRT could provide future transport solutions and deliver fast, frequent and reliable public transport. An area of key routes around 18 miles in and around Milton Keynes will be the focus of the study.
Milton Keynes City Council already has ambitious plans to boost MK’s smart city reputation through delivering a modern mass transit system. The study will analyse how the systems could be integrated and build on the City Council’s innovation and sustainability ambitions.
“Delivering a sustainable and effective transport system is exactly what we need to do as a modern smart city. A project like this will not only enable us to move faster, it will also open up new gateways into our city, attracting a wider range of people to live, work and set up their businesses here. This study will help us look at how we make the most of the opportunities AVRT presents to bring cleaner and affordable travel to MK.”
Notes
MK City Council will be partnering with leading businesses to support the study. These companies will be investing an additional £200,000 into the study.
The companies include:
- Costain- one of UKs leading construction and infrastructure companies
- ARUP - a world class multidisciplinary consultancy firm
- Equipmake – leading work on powertrains for the advanced vehicles
- Avant Design – creating vehicle designs
- Conigital – providing support for developing the vehicles autonomous control systems