Milton Keynes looks at potential of high-speed driverless public transport

Milton Keynes City Council has secured government funding to research the potential of a high-speed, driverless transport network to transform the way people get around the city.

The City Council secured the £200,000 funding to commission a study to determine how the Advanced Very Rapid Transport (AVRT) project could fit in with the city’s current and proposed infrastructure and support its sustainable growth ambitions set out in its New City Plan.

It is partnering with leading businesses such as Costain, Avant Design, ARUP, Equipmake and Conigital, each investing an additional £200,000 into the project.

AVRT is described as a new concept in mass transit which uses automated vehicles on purpose-designed segregated pathways.

The study will look at how AVRT could provide future transport solutions and deliver fast, frequent and reliable public transport.

An area of key routes, around 18 miles in and around Milton Keynes, will be the focus of the study, the City Council says.

Leader of MK City Council, Cllr Pete Marland said, “Delivering a sustainable and effective transport system is exactly what we need to do as a modern smart city.

"A project like this will not only enable us to move faster, it will also open up new gateways into our city, attracting a wider range of people to live, work and set up their businesses here.

"This study will help us look at how we make the most of the opportunities AVRT presents to bring cleaner and affordable travel to MK.”