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Affordable Light Rail Rail Futures Conference London 15th Nov. 2008

Affordable Light Rail Rail Futures Conference London 15th Nov. 2008. Prof. Lewis Lesley Technical Director TRAM Power Ltd. Affordable to whom ?. The taxpayer (NAO 2004 Report) The operator (need subsidy) The passenger (pays three times ?). Why Light Rail ?. Carbon free/neutral/savings

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Affordable Light Rail Rail Futures Conference London 15th Nov. 2008

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  1. Affordable Light RailRail Futures Conference London 15th Nov. 2008 Prof. Lewis Lesley Technical Director TRAM Power Ltd.

  2. Affordable to whom ? • The taxpayer (NAO 2004 Report) • The operator (need subsidy) • The passenger (pays three times ?)

  3. Why Light Rail ? • Carbon free/neutral/savings • Proven to divert car trips (30-40%) • Reduce noise and pollution in streets • Accessible • Low energy/ oil free electrical power • Increase urban activity density

  4. Best use of public money ? • A UK tramway scheme is £300m • This is 4 hospitals • Or 20 secondary schools • Or 1000 miles of cycle lanes/ways • Cycling is carbon & oil free • Promotes health & fitness • Increases activity density

  5. Rail like the Medieval Church ? • Untouchable high “priesthood” • Special language, few understand • Needs constant money indulgences • Seen to be for good of country • Carries only 1% of UK trips (7%pax km) • 70% London based • 6% of UK freight traffic

  6. Light Rail SWOT - 1 • STRENGTHS • Incremental development over 150 years • >400 systems worldwide • Attracts car users (30-40% US DOT) • Reduces traffic congestion & pollution • Increase road passenger capacity • Reduce central car parking • Strengthens city centre

  7. Light Rail SWOT - 2 • WEAKNESSES • Criticised by NAO April 2004 Report • Complex procurement process • Legal costs > engineering design • Multiple objectives rarely achieved • Patronage forecasts mostly too high • Need for operating subsidy (& grants) • Twice as costly as continental schemes

  8. Light Rail SWOT - 3 • OPPORTUNITIES • Buses squeezed by fuel and staffing • Social image is poor • 50% of UK bus trips in London (£1.5bn pa sub) • Bus market 10% of 1955 peak • Bus gizmos don’t get people out of cars • Polluting and dependent on oil • Bus operators could go upmarket with trams ? • Tram drivers easier to recruit • Tram drivers stay longer

  9. Light Rail SWOT - 4 • THREATS • 5 UK schemes funded in last 20 years • One every four years • Take 150 years to match Germany 2004 • To impact on • CO2, NOX and PM10 • Congestion • modal shift • UK needs a new tramway every 4 MONTHS ?

  10. Answering NAO Report ? • Tramways to target high (car)traffic flows • Not best way to reduce unemployment • Not Civic “One-upmanship” contest • Taxis and bikes are cheaper • Tram routes direct, fast and frequent • Abandoned rail lines not always good • Strategic Park and Ride stations

  11. New Technology ? • Tramways are not mini main line trains • Trams are road vehicles running on rails • Knowledge and experience lost • Track installation less disruptive • Don’t relocate utilities • OHL is light, can be strung from buildings

  12. Tram Tracks - 1 Sheffield Manchester

  13. Tram Tracks - 2 Sheffield since 1996 Maintenance free LR55 200mm deep 400mm wide

  14. Tram OHL - not WCML ? • Survived storms • Quick installation • Low cost • Safe up to 100mph • Low visual impact • Minimum poles

  15. Trams are not tanks !

  16. Energy ? • Trains have lower rolling resistance than buses • But the same energy consumption about 40 pax km/litre diesel • Because of heavier train mass per pax

  17. Lower mass = less energy

  18. City Class in Birkenhead

  19. Delivering Projects - 2 ways • Last 50 years = public funding/promotion • Prior to 1940 = municipal and private cos • Prior to 1900 all railways & trams private • Public schemes = political interests • Private Cos = commercial objectives ?

  20. Tramways - commercial ? • Revenue > operating costs • Capital investment tramway only • IRR > 10% not “Green Book” • Due diligence • Getting Council on side • Getting residents on side • Getting commuters out of cars

  21. Commercial sensitivities Bus Competition Tram fares

  22. Applications - GLUAS www.GLUAS.com

  23. London • Fails IOC Air Quality Standards • Will fail EU standards after 2012 • NOX and PM10 • Half public transport trips by bus - • Oil dependent and • CO2 emitting • Mayor has abandoned tram projects

  24. The CROST Project

  25. Conclusions • Trams proven to get people out of cars • Trams reduce city pollution (NOX,PM10) • Trams reduce oil dependency and CO2 • Making trams affordable for • Private investments • Getting a major impact on environment • Energy sustainability

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