TDI is the lead partner in a consortium to develop, manufacture and install on a turnkey basis the unique Minitram public transport system. 

System features

Minitram seeks to offer the system characteristics normally associated with light rail through the flexibility and cost effectiveness of automotive technology.  The Minitram vehicles are state of the art,  pollution free people movers designed to operate in town centres, airports, exhibition sites and ‘park and ride’ applications.

Minitram systems are significantly cheaper than a conventional tram or light rapid system and do not require intrusive infrastructure such as overhead wires or electrified rails.  The vehicles are small scale and can travel along roadways with shared occupancy, dedicated alignments, through pedestrian areas and even indoors within shopping centres or other building complexes.

 

Dual mode

Minitrams are available in two modes: either for running on shallow-laid tram track, or on rubber tyres using Safeguide concealed wire guidance technology.  

Custom design

Because of the Minitram's modular construction, any number of variants are possible (ie in terms of length, width and interior seating arrangement) according to passenger capacity requirements, including bi-directional and articulated configurations. Typical sizes are:

Type 1: wide bodied (2.3m x 7.8m), 45 passenger car

Type 2: wide bodied, twin-articulated, 90 passenger car

Type 3: narrow bodied (1.75m x 7.8m), 30 passenger car

Type 4: narrow bodied, twin-articulated, 60 passenger car 

It is also important to note that the vehicles can be styled and liveried to meet specific customer's aspirations for industrial design - for example, the Type 2 concept below.

Turnkey projects

Minitram Systems Ltd will design, procure, project manage and install complete Minitram systems including:

• vehicles

• Safeguide electronic guidance system

• stops and terminals

• street furniture

• ticketing

• passenger information

• transport planning and economics

• traffic management systems

• security

• maintenance facilities

• landscaping and civil work

The fully installed, capital cost per km of a complete Minitram system (inclusive of vehicles and guideway infrastructure - but excluding any special civil works) is less than £1m.  This is about 10% of the cost of building a conventional light rail or tram system.