The date alone demonstrates to me that the concept of the PRT
system is not foreign or one deemed too futuristic. The article mentions that the idea of a PRT system was first
conceived in the 19th century. Networks had also been planned in the
UK and various other parts of Europe before being abandoned for reasons not
mentioned in the article. However, renewed interest has been sparked recently
due to environmental concerns.
Martin Lowson, the inventor of the first production pod car
to be used at Heathrow Airport is quoted as saying “the trouble with our cities
is that they have been designed around the car for the last 50 years or so”.
Drawing on from this statement, it is evident just by driving in and around the
suburb of Paddington that the urban layout of the suburb does not accommodate
for vehicles successfully with many two way roads being diminished down to one
way laneways due to high numbers of on-street parking.
A quick look on Google Map shows this clearly.
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| GOOGLE MAP STREET VIEW LOOKING DOWN MORNINGTON STREET, RED HILL. |
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| GOOGLE MAP STREET VIEW LOOKING DOWN YOUNG STREET, RED HILL |
The existing road network in the precinct is large enough to
adequately support two lanes of pod cars with the removal of vehicles.
The main issue concerned with the development of PRT systems,
as detailed in the article, is the cost of building the guidways on which the
pods would run, with building overhead being suggested as an alternative
measure in busy city centres. For our Project 1 assignment, my group proposed
the development of a Power Generating Grid through the precinct which converts
the energy and pressure placed anywhere on the grid into electrical power. It
is proposed that the pod cars in the Paddington precinct will run as individual
units (just like vehicles), making the guideways (similar to those used in
light rail systems) unnecessary. The pods would then draw power from the power
grid (run independently from the Brisbane’s main grid) implemented into the
existing road network.
More research will have to be conducted into the idea of the
Power Generating Grid in order to make the concept more feasible.
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| A VERY POOR 2 SECOND SKETCH BY YOURS TRULY |
The PRT system currently implemented at Heathrow Airport was
detailed briefly in the article. From there I have taken ideas from this
existing network to bring into my Architectural proposal. It is intended to be
built upon at a later date.
- Pods will be driverless with pick up destination requested by the user
- Pick up and drop off destination requested by user by iPhone app, phone call, text message or at transit centre
- Pods have an onboard sensor system which can sense other pods around them and their exact locations thereby eliminating “traffic waves” which cause congestion (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/accidents-hazardous-conditions/traffic1.htm)
- No time tables
- No stops
- No traffic lights
- Reduced waiting and travel time
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