The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) predicts that more and more cities worldwide will follow Singapore's recent example of introducing fully automated driverless metro systems.

Within the public transport sector the opening-up of markets, increasing competition, and restricted budgets of regional and local authorities are leading to cost-cutting programmes and company restructuring. In addition to these pressures, customers are demanding an increasingly high-quality, attractive and reliable service if they are to consider public transport as a real alternative to the private car.
"As system automation provides an opportunity to improve both service and economic efficiency, it can be seen as a means to satisfy these sometimes conflicting pressures," commented Hans Rat, UITP Secretary General.
The reduction of waiting times is essential in providing a quality service and attracting more passengers to public transport. Automated systems may be operated at short headways during peak hours. As they are driverless, their service frequency can also be kept at an acceptable level during off-peak hours without incurring considerable operating costs. Such systems can also respond quickly to changes in passenger-flows, operating in a'demand-responsive' mode.
Safety is of course a major concern for operators of any mode of transport."The high safety record of automated systems has been proven and is now widely accepted," commented Mr Rat.
It is his belief that despite a natural resistance to full automation, which is often psychological, driverless trains will eventually prevail.
The UITP is the international organisation for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. m

For more information, visit www.uitp.com