Public transport that drives itself is a step closer to becoming a reality on the country’s roads thanks to a major piece of work carried out in the West Midlands.

The Automated Public Transport Service (APTS) Specification, written by experts at Transport for West Midlands and Solihull Council, details how to commission automated technology to deliver real, lasting public benefit by supporting local authorities tender services with confidence that the required service outcomes will be met.

The document explains how public transport in the UK is crucial for economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability by providing access to jobs, education, and services and reducing congestion and pollution related to private car use.

It details how automated public transport promises to offer a step change to mobility, with the ambition to improve on the road safety and reduce operational costs whilst maintaining, if not increasing, ticket sales. In turn, any reduction in operational cost can be re-invested to attract more people onto public transport services through higher frequency services, denser networks, improved reliability and enhanced comfort.  The new technology can also be used to open up new routes that would not traditionally be considered commercially viable due to lower ridership or unsociable hours of operation.

Across 53 pages, this new specification has the aim of both unifying and simplifying the buying and commissioning of future APTS in the UK by providing the industry with a clear guide on what will be expected from future buyers of services without dictating the technology used to implement them. 

“By aiming to create a common specification for the commissioning future services at this early stage in public transport Connected and Automated Mobility evolution we aim to help individual authorities and organisations avoid having to develop separate, fragmented specifications, saving significant cost to buyers,” explained Colin Maltby, Senior Project Manager – Future Mobility at the UK Central Economy and Infrastructure Directorate. “Providing a single, high-quality resource that any future buyer can adapt should support a “commission once, adapt for many” approach, accelerating the safe deployment of automated passenger services.”

“CAM will create a paradigm shift in the way we move people,” added Mark Cracknell, Programme Director of Zenzic, the UK government and industry partnership created to accelerate the development CAM. “With accessibility, safety and meaningful public service front of mind, industry is hard at work preparing solutions for market and the opportunity to engage with the draft specification will be very welcome by the CAM Sector. Initiatives like the APTS support the ongoing dialogue between industry and transport providers, and support the coordinated approach essential for the successful rollout of CAM technologies across the UK.”

The document covers specifications around required outputs, service responsibilities, service setup – including how to mandate service volumes and timetables, incident response plans, fare structures and inclusivity.  The sections are written to allow tendering authorities to fill in their own specific details to fit their needs, while ensuring no aspect of delivering a service is forgotten.  There are sections around such things as vehicle maintenance requirements, safety and physical and digital infrastructure.

The Specification has now reached a stage where it has been released for review by authorities ahead of formal publication.

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