The Stansted Airport Track Transit System (TTS) is a fully automated

people mover A people mover or automated people mover (APM) is a type of small scale automated guideway transit system. The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks. ...

system which operates within

London Stansted Airport London Stansted Airport is a tertiary international airport serving London, England, United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England, northeast of Central London. London Stansted serves over 160 destinations acro ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The transit system conveys air passengers between the main airport terminal and the departure/arrival gates, which are located some distance from the main terminal in satellite buildings. The system operates exclusively "

airside An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

", meaning that it can only by accessed by passengers who have first passed through

airport security Airport security includes the techniques and methods used in an attempt to protect passengers, staff, aircraft, and airport property from malicious harm, crime, terrorism, and other threats. Aviation security is a combination of measures and hum ...

. The transit is provided free of charge and being electric far less polluting than the diesel buses that serve the car parks and remote aircraft stands.

History

The Stansted Airport Transit System was opened in 1991. It was constructed as a result of the decision by the

British Airports Authority Heathrow Airport Holdings is the United Kingdom-based operator of Heathrow Airport. The company also operated Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport, Edinburgh Airport and several other UK airports, but was forced by the Competition Commission to se ...

(BAA) to redevelop the airport with an arrangement of satellite buildings detached from the main terminal. The BAA considered several options for conveying passengers safely and rapidly to the airport gates, including moving walkways, tunnels, bridges and bus links, before opting for an automated tracked transit system. After opening in 1991 the system was extended in 1998 with an additional two underground stations, to serve a second and a third satellite building.

Route

Guideway

The Stansted Airport TTS vehicles run along a double-track

guideway An automated guideway transit (AGT) or automated fixed-guideway transit or automatic guideway transit system is a type of fixed guideway transit infrastructure with a riding or suspension track that supports and physically guides one or more dr ...

totalling in length which connects the main terminal building with three satellite buildings. The route begins on an elevated section alongside the departure lounge, before entering a tunnel which passes beneath the

airport apron The airport apron, apron, flight line, ramp, or tarmac is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, boarded, or maintained. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehic ...

. There is a maintenance depot at one end.

Stations

The Transit System has three stations: Terminal (arrivals and departures), Gates 1–19 (Satellite 1 arrivals and departures) and Gates 20–39 (Satellite 2 arrivals and departures). Satellite 3 (Gates 40–59) is not served by the Transit System; instead a pedestrian footway links the gates with the main terminal. Each station has segregated boarding and alighting platforms, allowing a more efficient passenger flow. All boarding points are equipped with

platform screen doors Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail syste ...

Vehicles

5 Adtranz C-100 cars built by Westinghouse for the system, with car bodies built in Scotland by Walter Alexander before being shipped to Pittsburgh for assembly and testing, are still in service today. This was increased to 9 when 4 new Adtranz CX-100 cars were delivered during the 1998 expansion. During normal operation, eight out of the nine cars will be in service to maintain a 99.98% availability record. The cars can operate as single-, double-, or triple-unit trains that can be easily accessed by disabled passengers. The trains are fully automated and driverless, classed as a Grade of Automation level 4 (unattended) system and regulated under

Office of Rail Regulation The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain's railways, and the economic monitoring of National Highways. ORR regulates Network Rail by setting its ...

. The Stansted TTS is currently the world's last remaining APM system to use the Adtranz C-100 rolling stock.

Pictures

File:Stansted Airport People Mover.JPG, An Adtranz C-100 vehicle approaching the Main Terminal File:Stansted Airport - monorail station (geograph 4693192).jpg, Platform doors at a Transit station File:Stansted Airport Transit System switch.JPG,

Set of points A railroad switch (), turnout, or ''set ofpoints () is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another, such as at a railway junction or where a spur or siding branches off. The most common ty ...

for a crossover connecting the two tracks File:London Stansted people mover underground.JPG, A Transit vehicle in the tunnel section File:Stansted Transit System map.png, Map of the Stansted Transit System File:Stansted Airport Transit route diagram.jpg, In-car route information signage File:London Stansted Airport.JPG, Aerial view of the airport, with the Transit line visible in front of the main terminal File:London Stansted Airport transit vehicle.jpg, C-100 vehicle on elevated guideway section

References

{{UK light rail Airport people mover systems in the United Kingdom Innovia people movers

Transit System Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typica ...

Rail transport in Essex Railway stations opened in 1991 1991 establishments in England