Dromos CAM system to link Bolton Transport Interchange to the Royal Bolton Hospital

Bolton Council is committed to responding to the climate emergency as set out in our Climate Change Strategy. To succeed, we must address important issues and act collaboratively across our partnerships, businesses and communities in a way that delivers real change. The strategy makes commitments that align with what is happening on climate change globally, nationally, and regionally. These commitments support the Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan, which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2038\.?

?Our Climate Change Strategy has been brought together by the Bolton Vision Partnership and the people of Bolton, with a central purpose to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change and lessen the impact of our collective activities on the environment. However, we also know that action on climate change opens a host of additional opportunities and potential benefits. For example, utilisation of autonomous vehicles on popular routes not only helps to reduce carbon emissions, but also contributes to cleaner, healthier air.?

The council is committed to working with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to reduce carbon emissions from transport and travel. The Greater Manchester?2040 Transport Strategy Delivery Plan promotes the "Right Mix" target of one million more sustainable journeys per day by 2040 with zero net growth in motor vehicle traffic. This relies on providing infrastructure that will allow increased active travel, greater use of public transport and a shift to electric vehicles.?

The opportunity to benefit from a successful bid to access funding from Innovate UK's Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Grant would enable the Council to build on the preparatory work already undertaken by Aecom in 2018 and to put Bolton at the forefront of developing autonomous, sustainable, transport networks in the UK in partnership with TfGM, Costain and Dromos.?

The CAM system developed by Dromos uses autonomous electrical vehicles for up to 2 adults (plus children, luggage, prams, bikes, or wheelchairs). The vehicles will operate on segregated infrastructure, providing safe travel and, given the extremely low vehicle weight (500kg as opposed to several hundred tons), the cost and space required are 50% lower compared to rail-based systems. In addition, construction time and travel time are also halved.?

The CAM system at the heart of this feasibility study changes the way we think about public transport: the future is riding in comfort like using a taxi while paying the price for a bus ticket and using twenty-first century technology.