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| International Airport’s £11 million SkyRail
‘people mover’ system and the £7 million public transport
Interchange at Birmingham International rail station, were officially opened
by the Rt. Hon John Spellar MP, Minister for Transport on 7th March 2003
The arrival of these two major developments further enhances the Airport’s
ability to provide a first class integrated transport facility for the Midlands
region, and reinforces its reputation as one of the most accessible airports
in the UK. |
SkyRail approaching Terminal 1
17-September-2003
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SkyRail approaching the Interchange
17-September-2003 |
Birmingham is the first airport in the world, and the only
location in Europe to feature SkyRail, an Austrian-built cable-driven system,
that has been operating successfully in Las Vegas since 1999. Its two trains,
each consisting of two carriages, can carry up to 1600 people per hour between
the rail station and passenger terminals and has reduced the transfer time
to just 90 seconds.
SkyRail is fully automated, designed for operation without driver and
attendants, and is powered and driven from a central drive station. It
follows the same course and elevated concrete structure as the former MAGLEV,
along two new 585-metre trackways, travelling at a speed of up to 22 miles
per hour. |
| On arrival at the rail station, passengers step into Birmingham
International Interchange, the brand new two-storey public transport facility,
which makes the transfer between all modes of transport even easier. The
ground floor features two high quality waiting lounges, and the first floor
provides a public concourse with information on ticketing, timetables, plus
real-time flight information screens. The first floor also boasts the new
SkyRail station, with information screens showing its next journey times,
and ‘demand’ buttons to call for SkyRail at night. Improved
road set-down areas and changes to traffic circulation have also been provided. |
SkyRail Station at The Rail Airport interchange |
SkyRail passing car park 3
17-September-2003 |
The total cost of the two projects was £18 million with funding
provided by Birmingham International Airport, the West Midlands Local Transport
Plan and the EU’s Trans-European Network (TENs).. |
| Mindful that growth need not necessarily impact on the environment,
the Airport chose a people mover system which is environmentally friendly.
It is extremely quiet and does not pollute noise or air quality. To ensure
a safe and efficient operation, the SkyRail platforms and the Interchange
are monitored by CCTV, and managed by the Airport’s Operations Team |
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