The need for a step-change in transport
The core technologies used in transport today, whether by road, rail, sea or air, are at least 100 years old, yet we live in an age when rapid change has become the norm and societies are being transformed across the globe by the application of new technologies.
It is no longer realistic to tackle challenges of transport overcrowding, reliability and efficiency by tinkering with Victorian technologies, squeezing marginal gains for passengers and shippers at enormous financial cost. The UK now needs a step-change for passenger and freight transport.
DCN300+ : A transport revolution
Recent advances in electronics and applied electro- magnetics make it possible to realise the potential of Maglev technology, originally invented in the UK in the 1970’s, heralding a completely new generation of transport capable of 300+mph.
Direct City Networks 300+ (DCN300+) is an Anglo- American collaboration looking at how proven Maglev technology can be adapted to meet the unique demands facing transport in the UK. Maglevs have been running in China for 10 years and more recently inJapan, and now groundbreaking work is being undertaken by our Partner, Los Angeles based Hyperloop One Inc.
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Enabling the Northern Powerhouse
The successful realisation of the Northern Powerhouse depends on a number of enablers, but the most important physical pre-requisite is the introduction of faster and better regional transport. DCN300+ is the key that could release the latent economic potential that lies in the cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Hull and the surrounding cities and conurbations.
DCN300+ proposes a Maglev solution built in small tunnels and running from city centre to city centre. The preliminary business case which has been evalauted in detail, considers the route between Manchester and Leeds, but we might equally have chosen Liverpool to Manchester or some of the many routes in the congested south east of England.
DCN300+ will effectively create a ‘super-city’ with an end-to-end journey time between Liverpool and Hull of 29 minutes, compared with a current journey time of some 3 hours or more. Journey times between Liverpool and Manchester will come down from 45 minutes to just 7, and for those travelling in the central section between Manchester and Leeds, it will reduce the current journey time of around 50 minutes to 9.
Although the journeys are short, the 'Train' windows would be replaced with TV screens, so that the normal above ground view could be seen whilst travelling underground.
DCN300+ could transform the economic geography of Northern England, ultimately creating one business district stretching for Passengers travelling from coast to coast or between Cities. Full size shipping containers could also be carried, but at slower speeds and possibly as an overnight service.
More details to follow....................................