"LIGHTWEIGHT" INNOVATORS SERVE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY AND AUTHORITIES

Online Transport Case Studies show breadth of Parry Associates' capabilities - "green growth" achievable through high environmental performance

The West Midlands company behind a series of innovations in rail-based transport now offers a complete "lightweight" approach to rail transport with the benefit of high environmental performance.  JPM Parry & Associates Ltd has produced a series of case studies showing some of the activities it has already undertaken in the transport sphere.

Transport Case Study 1: Development of a new form of rail vehicle
http://www.parryassociates.com/case-study-1.htm

Transport Case Study 2: Temporary demonstrations of street tramways
http://www.parryassociates.com/case-study-2.htm

Transport Case Study 3: Report to the Chief Scientific Adviser
http://www.parryassociates.com/case-study-3.htm

Transport Case Study 4: Approval of lightweight suburban railway operation
http://www.parryassociates.com/case-study-4.htm

Transport Case Study 5: Design and construction of railway structures
http://www.parryassociates.com/case-study-5.htm

(Click on links to view case studies in htm format, with further links to printable pdf versions.)

A practical demonstration of the lightweight suburban railway concept is now underway on the Stourbridge Town branch, where a Parry People Movers light railcar - designed and built in Parry Associates' workshops - is in passenger service on Sundays and has recorded reliability and punctuality exceeding 98%.

This first passenger operation is attracting attention from across the UK and abroad as a new way for achieving attractive public transport in rural, urban and suburban situations where patronage is lower than on heavily used railway, metro and tramway systems.  Since the start of operations in December 2005, a number of authorities in England and Wales have been in contact with Parry Associates and its operating partners Pre Metro Operations Ltd regarding the potential for introducing lightweight suburban railway systems in their local areas.

"Environmentally-friendly transport technology can help achieve 'green growth' - economic development without increasing pollution," said Caspar Lucas, Technical Services Director of Parry Associates.  "The experience of cities like Manchester and Nottingham shows that lightweight railways and trams will attract people away from cars on congested roads, while Parry technology reduces emissions of pollutants, noise and carbon dioxide.  And at the same time, towns and countryside become more pleasant to live in and visit."

With the experience gained from the successful introduction of operations at Stourbridge and elsewhere, JPM Parry & Associates Ltd is offering its technical services to transport interest groups and authorities who want to see quality public transport.  Developments underway include designs for larger lightweight railcars and trams, a modular tramway system for quick and efficient installation of track in city streets and lightweight construction techniques for buildings such as platforms and maintenance shelters.

For further information, visit www.parryassociates.com/transport or contact Caspar Lucas (details below).

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

BACKGROUND: JPM Parry & Associates Ltd was founded in 1974 by John Parry, one of the early team of directors of the Intermediate Technology Development Group and chair of its Building Materials Panel, to offer technical services to the construction industry in Britain and overseas.  Shortly afterwards, the company started to develop a range of intermediate technology machinery that could be used to produce quality building materials in developing countries using local resources.  These are now in service in over 80 countries.

TRANSPORT INNOVATION: Applied to transport, the Parry approach to technological development produced the flywheel energy storage system licensed to Parry People Movers Ltd (PPM).

OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE: JPM Parry & Associates Ltd has provided project management and engineering services to the PPM venture since its inception.  PPM vehicles have carried over 100,000 passengers in a variety of locations and Pre Metro Operations Ltd is now running a PPM 50 Light Railcar in Sunday public service on a branch of Britain's national rail network at Stourbridge, West Midlands.

EXPERTISE: The experience gained from project management of the PPM venture, including the approvals for public operation at Stourbridge, has given JPM Parry & Associates Ltd a unique background in the introduction of transport innovation.  This knowledge can now be transferred to numerous other applications where a new approach would permit high-quality, attractive public transport to be implemented.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact -
Caspar Lucas, Technical Services Director, JPM Parry & Associates Ltd
Overend Road, Cradley Heath, West Midlands, B64 7DD
Telephone: +44 (0)1384 569171
Fax: +44 (0)1384 637753
Email: info@parryassociates.com
Website: www.parryassociates.com/transport

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