Britain’s first battery-powered “trackless” tram could be built under plans to drastically cut congestion in Cambridge. A detailed report published today says there is a “compelling case” for a £4 billion metro that will include two underground stations in the city centre. The system would use a cross between a tram and bus to run from surrounding towns and suburbs into the city on a segregated route. The vehicles would not have tracks or overhead lines but instead run on wheels. They would be powered by batteries that are charged overnight at the end of the line. Autonomous technology would “platoon” trams close together, with three 18m-long vehicles accommodated at the same time on 60m platforms. It is claimed that the trams would be far longer and carry more passengers than the biggest buses in operation. A similar system opened in 2017 in Zhuzhou, China.
Times 19th March 2019 read more »