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There is a real opportunity for these trams to be a game-changer in regional cities and the newer suburbs, the latter of which often lack quality transport options.
Trackless trams have the potential to revolutionise accessibility to high quality public transport in areas typically under serviced, offering the potential to deliver an equivalent light rail service at a fraction of the cost.
The trams have a similar axle weight to buses, B Double trucks and semi-trailer trucks so, unlike light rail, they can be accommodated on the existing road network without significant infrastructure investment. The trams present a real opportunity to change the game in regional cities and newer suburbs, the latter of which often lack quality transport options.
According to the Committee for Geelong’s CEO Jennifer Cromarty, this new technology could be the solution to car parking issues in central Geelong and provide an attractor to people needing to get in and around the city for work.
“Soon there will be over 8,000 people commuting to Geelong to work in large organisations close to Gheringhap Street including Deakin University, WorkSafe, NDIA, TAC, Barwon Water and the City of Greater Geelong,” Jennifer said.
Describing the benefit of this new mode of transport, Urbis Director Breton Fleming indicated that around 36 of these trams could replace the 150 buses that are on Victoria Road into Sydney each morning peak.
“It’s a ground-breaking technology that changes the public transport experience,” Breton said.
