Emirates Air Line, featured in the latest WIR magazine, crosses London’s River Thames.
Recently, Doppelmayr released the 197th issue of its WIR magazine, a review of the company’s worldwide scope of business. A good deal of the content examines the phenomenon of Doppelmayr’s products as urban transport. If you don’t have the time to read the magazine just now, here are some highlights and summaries of the urban ropeway stories there. You can always read them later.
Statistics Summary of London’s Emirates Air Line
Titled “An attraction in its own right” this short section on page 4 serves up the important numbers about London’s ropeway, built for the 2012 Olympics, bridging the River Thames. Highlights include 93% customer satisfaction out of 1.8 million customers per year and a recently renewed contract with DCC UK Ltd to continue service until June 2017.
A Review of the Benefits of Urban Ropeways on Page 6
Titled “One ropeway instead of the 2,000 car journeys”, this feature article equates 2,000 cars transporting 10,000 people in an hour with 100 buses — and 1 ropeway. The ropeway, it says, offers other unique advantages though, including minimal environmental damage, virtual noiselessness, cost-effectiveness, dedicated and predictable routes that can’t be clogged, easy linking to other urban transportation, excellent safety profiles and availability. Moreover, the article says ropeways can easily blend with the environment, traversing nearly any obstacles. Finally, it talks of how they are flexible enough to accommodate bicycles and wheelchairs, with constant access and no need to consult timetables.
Working Examples of Doppelmayr Urban Ropeways
Portland Aerial Tram.
The bottom section of page 8 features the 3S lift in Koblenz, Germany, which crosses the Rhine River, and the 10-passenger gondola lifts in the cities of La Paz and El Alto in Bolivia. Extending almost 10km they form the world’s biggest urban ropeway network. Next page over in the same spot, there’s a small blurb on the environmental advantages of Marquam Hill’s aerial tramway in Portland, Oregon. (Above this section is an easy-to-follow graphic plotting the major benefits of urban ropeways.)
Interview with a Transport for London Senior Manager
On page 10, WIR discusses London’s Emirates Air Line, England’s first urban ropeway, with Jeremy Manning, Engineering and Assurance Manager at Transport for London. The article’s title could be the theme of the whole magazine: “A ropeway is a means of transport and an attraction.” Manning talks up the ropeway’s environmental benefits in terms of eased traffic, minimal footprint on the ground and quick construction. Despite its occasional closing, Manning quotes an impressive technical availability of 99.9%. The interview closes with praise for the tourism the ropeway draws and the unique 360-degree views it offers.
Doppelmayr Cable Car (DCC) in the Urban Environment
Finally, on page 20, WIR reviews DCC’s “specialist areas” in cities, including ropeway construction, which the article says are “awakening interest worldwide.” Using its “requisite know-how,” the company is not only building Cable Liners but also winning contracts to operate ropeways in urban surroundings, on behalf of its client cities.
You can download the magazine here.
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