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[Martin (Admin)]

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/04082010/36/incredible-bus-tunnel-0.html

Chinese designers have come up with an innovative cost-effective public transport system: the tunnel bus.

The remarkable bus straddles two lanes of traffic, allowing cars to drive underneath while it carries up to 1,200 passengers.

It's environmentally sound too because it runs on electricity, using a state-of-the-art charging system. Called relay charging, the roof of the bus conducts electricity and contacts special charging posts as it moves along.

It's cost-effective because there are two ways it could operate: first off, special tracks could be laid into each side of the road, like a tram.

Or secondly, simple coloured lines could be painted onto the road for it to follow automatically on conventional tyres. There'll be a driver on the bus at all times, though.

Elevated bus stops will be erected to allow passenger to embark, or where there's no room for those the bus will have ladders. The emergency exits will be inflatable slides.

And if the straddling bus seems all to futuristic to be true, amazingly it isn't - a pilot scheme involving over 115 miles of tracks in Beijing will begin before 2011.

The trials will focus on traffic management and safety. Managing traffic flow is an issue: how, for example, to guarantee a bus can turn off a road safely while there is no traffic underneath.

The advanced stage of the plan suggests this is not an insurmountable issue. Then who knows - it could revolutionise public transport outside of China. London, perhaps?

[Charlie]

Wow

[Bryan Young]

Sounds great for a new city, can't see it working within the average UK one though......unless we tear down everything and start again. On a similar subject, I've always been impressed by the Aussie "double-decker" trains. I'm sure these would work in the UK. BY.

[RaaArtyGunner]

Could not they be retrofitted over at least some existing two lanes and get rid of some buses. 
After all it is only money  but think of the benefits in reducing congestion and no tunnels  etc

[RickF]

Wonder what the turning circle is?!!!

[essex2visuvesi]

Think oil tanker and double it?

[malcolmfrary]

1976 movie "The Big Bus".  Possibly a spoof of the then disaster movies, which they richly deserved.  Contained the great line "We are breaking wind at 40 miles per hour".  With 1200 passengers, no doubt at any one time, one of them would be.

[tobyker]

"Excuse me sir - are we driving the wrong way inside a one-way bus?"