Irizar ie tram, Brisbane Metro and lighTram being assessed for public transport
Land vehicle Vehicle Bus Mode of transport Transport
An Irizar ie tram in Spain. Picture: Shutterstock.
The state government has revealed three types of vehicles it is assessing for a new public transport system on the Sunshine Coast. The Department of Transport and Main Roads stated that it is considering the design of ‘metro vehicles’ that could be used between Birtinya and Sunshine Coast Airport. TMR is looking at examples around the world. “We’re exploring a range of vehicles and emerging technologies,” the group stated via its project page. The Irizar ie tram, Brisbane Metro, and lighTram are among the vehicles the department is studying. The Irizar ie tram is an electric, tram-style bus built by a Spanish manufacturer that runs on rubber tyres but is designed to look and feel like light rail, with high capacity and zero tailpipe emissions. The Brisbane Metro is a high-capacity, electric bus system operating in Brisbane, using long bi-articulated vehicles that run mostly on dedicated busways. It is designed to deliver rail-like capacity and frequency. The lighTram is a Swiss-designed, multi-section articulated bus that can operate as a standard diesel, hybrid or electric vehicle. It is often used in bus rapid transit systems and offers light-rail-style capacity on roads rather than rails