The revolutionary Heathrow pod system, designed by Ultra Global PRT was named as the Most Innovative Transport Project at the London Transport Awards held in London yesterday.
Judged by a panel of industry experts, the prestigious Awards recognize excellence in transport, rewarding successful innovation and progress for transport initiatives. Ultra beat off competition from larger, well known names to clinch the title.
Ultra Global PRT, a small Bristol based company designed and implemented the Heathrow pod system of 21 battery powered, driverless, zero emission vehicles capable of carrying more than half a million passengers each year along a dedicated 3.8km guide way.
They have proved hugely popular with passengers, BAA (Heathrow’s owners) and media around the world. Their innovative benefits have been recognized by the Punjabi Government, which has commissioned Ultra Global PRT and their partner, Fairwood to build a much larger system (240 pods, 8km guideway) in Amritsar, India, due to go live in 2014.
Fraser Brown Ultra Managing Director at Heathrow said: “We are delighted to have our pioneering and innovative system recognized by the industry at the London Transport Awards. Passenger feedback on the Pods has been excellent since their launch at Heathrow a year ago. We are now implementing this pioneering and revolutionary British technology in other parts of the world to improve passenger transport, emissions, noise and the cost of providing modern public transport in the 21st century.”
Awards Press Release (opens in a new window):