Project Objectives

Bradford MDC, Metro and First are looking at developing public transport in Bradford City Centre that will:

• be innovative and sensitive to the environment 
• improve accessibility to employment, training and services
• improve accessibility for people with mobility impairment
• support the growth of the local economy through links to retail developments, future public realm projects  and transports hubs
• provide a link between Bradford Interchange and Forster Square rail stations
• penetrate the pedestrianised area (not currently served by public transport)
• help ensure that the benefits of the Broadway development are spread across the city centre

Trial Outcomes

As part of the process of developing a solution a 6 week trial of an electrically powered Minitram vehicle took place during Autumn 2005. The key trial objectives were:

• to examine the practicalities of running a public transport  service through pedestrianised areas
• to see how the vehicle / technology performed
• to see if it was suitable for Bradford
• to find out public opinion
• to find out the places people wanted to go

Due to the limitations of Minitram (a prototype - not designed specifically for hilly areas), the route and frequency of the service were restricted. This was to make sure that Minitram had enough power to run the service and “get home” to the depot. Whilst the trial route did not really provide access to all the key areas, it did give passengers the chance to use Minitram and give feedback on the type of service and where it should go to.

A total of 1431 passengers used Minitram during the trial. Feedback gathered via Metro’s website and questionnaires available on Minitram showed:

• a service could be run both on the road and through the pedestrianised area with very limited changes to the existing highway infrastructure or street furniture.
• general public support for such a scheme
• passengers wanted a permanent service to serve more places
• whilst the vehicle performed well during the trial it was not entirely suitable for Bradford as the electric motor alone would not be able to cope with a wider route or longer running times
• passengers using a permanent service would expect a better ride quality

The Service Route

Passengers were asked where they wanted to go to via a Minitram type service in the city centre. The most popular places were the Interchange and Forster Square. The next most popular places people wanted to go to were the main shopping areas, in particular those at the top of the hill in the city centre. Other popular places were the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, the University and colleges.

It is intended any permanent service would include stops to allow easy access to both rail stations, popular shopping areas and also new areas under development.

Whilst there were suggestions for other places to serve, it is felt that it would not be practical to extend the route beyond the city centre as this would increase journey times too much. Some of these places are served by existing bus routes and one of the main benefits of a Minitram type service is providing access to the pedestrianised area where currently there is no public transport.

The Vehicle

The survey also asked passengers how the vehicle could be improved. The most common issues raised were accessibility (for example for wheelchair users or passengers with pushchairs), the capacity and power of the vehicle which limited both its speed and range and the ride quality and level of noise inside the vehicle.

Many of these issues raised could be addressed by using vehicles which:

• offer lowered suspension which will allow virtually level access from standard height kerbs and therefore dispense with boarding ramps
• offer central doors which provide much easier access for wheelchair users
• use hybrid (diesel/electric) technology. This would provide scope for extending the route and travelling at normal traffic speeds on the highway outside pedestrianised areas

Next Steps

It is intend to invite other vehicle manufacturers to demonstrate their vehicles to Councillors, transport officers and local mobility groups in Bradford over the next few months, in particular hybrid vehicles which couple diesel engines with electric motors which results in better fuel economy and lower emissions. Minitram or its successor is included in the second Local Transport Plan.