Working on behalf of the UK’s Department of Transport, LECS UK was appointed to the project to advise on stage 1 and stage 2 authorisation under the Cableways Installations Regulations.

The DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) is a cable-drawn, driverless railway running on a 1.4-mile (2.2km) line connecting Luton Airport Parkway station to the airport terminal in just over three minutes, 24 hours a day. The DART route includes a 350m (1,148 ft) long viaduct, a bridge over a dual carriageway and a new underground station at the airport. In total, the 2.2 km DART combines seven different types of structure and an autonomous light rail system.

Dave Cooper CEO of LECS UK said:  “These are very complex systems so the primary focus is safety. The aim of the Cableways Installations Regulations is to govern the safe design and operation of cableway installations. The directive covers funicular railways, cliff lifts, cable cars, gondolas, chair lifts and drag lifts as well as subsystems and safety components. Any cableway built or modified after 1986 must comply.”

Look out for an article in Lift Industry News published April 12th