Business Travel
It’s trams away with new battery
Cutting-edge battery technology is to be fitted to Midland Metro trams. Centro, the West Midlands public transport delivery body, put pen to paper with Spanish tram manufacture CAF to start work on fitting them to the Metro fleet. The battery equipment will enable the CAF-
manufactured Urbos 3 trams to operate without the need for overhead line equipment to power them - the first tram fleet in the UK to do so.
‘This is an exciting development for the Midland Metro’
The technology will allow the trams to run overhead line-free through architecturally sensitive areas or where expensive building works would be needed to install overhead power lines. The 21 tram fleet is scheduled to be ready for when
the extension from Birmingham New Street station to Centenary Square is opened in 2019. The deal was signed by James Aspinall, managing
director of Centro and Antonio Campos Irujo, Western Europe director for CAF. Mr Aspinall said: "This is an exciting new development
for the Midland Metro as it will be the first tram fleet in the country to operate in this way. By upgrading these
Batteries not included (from left): Antonio Campos Irujo of CAF, left, and Centro’s James Aspinall sign the deal.
vehicles we are cementing the role of tram as an important means of public transport for the region." Mr Campos Irujo added: "I am delighted to be
signing this contract on behalf of CAF. There are only a handful of cities in the world and none in the UK that operates catenary-free running, and in doing so the Midland Metro joins an exclusive club." The first tram to be converted will be sent to CAF's
manufacturing plant in Zaragoza in Spain. Once this has been successfully completed and
tested the remainder of the conversion work will be done at the Metro depot at Wednesbury, in Sandwell. The cost of the scheme is commercially sensitive however a £3.15m contribution will be made by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and £1m will come from industry association UKTram. The Metro fleet was originally ordered by Centro -
the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) - in 2012.
Sector Focus Full support for
live fleet show The Chamber has confirmed its support of ‘Fleet Management Live 2016’, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham on 19-20 October. As part of its backing, the Chamber will also host a company vehicle briefing session at the show for its 2,500+ members. Chamber chief executive
Paul Faulkner said: “The Midlands has long been a key region for the motor and transport sector, so we’re delighted to work with Fleet Management Live. We’ll be hosting a session at the event on how enterprises can improve fleet efficiency and lower costs and will announce more details shortly.” The event will almost
double in size for 2016 and will feature an exhibition, free-to- attend best practice sessions, advice clinics and seminars for non-traditional fleet managers including human resources, finance and procurement.
New Jaguar is fast and furious
The star of a Hollywood franchise about illegal street racing has been allowed to get behind the wheel of a speedy Jaguar and drive it at more than 200mph (legally). The car is the new Jaguar F-Type SVR, the fastest production
Jaguar ever, which was driven at 201mph on a closed highway in the Nevada desert by Michelle Rodriguez, on of the stars of the Fast and Furiousfranchise.
She said: “Driving this car was insane. I’ve now
broken my personal speed record in the beautiful Jaguar F- Type SVR. Reaching 201mph felt amazing, the car drove really smoothly, all my corrections were minimal, I was super focused, and it really reacted in all the right ways. I don’t think I’d ever go this fast without a professional driver seated next to me, but oh man, it was an incredible feeling. “I’ve always wondered what it was like to
travel faster than my top speed of 140mph and, outside of the autobahn, it’s impossible for me to do it safely anywhere else and safety is most important to me. It was refreshing to
be able to take myself beyond my limitations.” The F- Type SVR, developed by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, is the company’s ultimate performance vehicle.
John Edwards, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover
Special Vehicle Operations, said: “Building upon the award-winning F- Type was a challenging objective. Everything in terms of handling, design, sound and performance had to be taken to a new level, and is what the new F- Type SVR delivers.” Acceleration from 0-60mph takes just 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 200mph for the Coupé. Prices are from £110,000 for the Coupé and £115,485 for the Convertible.
May 2016 CHAMBERLINK 53
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