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15 CapaCity relieve the strain on the city centre of Granada
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New route scores points with ultra-modern vehicle design
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Redesigning of bus stop areas for stepless entrances
Lìnea de Alta Capacidad (LAC) – Route with high capacity – is what the Spaniards call their new BRT route in Granada. Based on 15 Mercedes-Benz CapaCity model large-capacity buses Granada has created a new high-performance transport system for the city centre traffic. On 29 June 2014 the Mayor of Granada, José Torres Hurtado, the city councillor for transport, María Telesfora Ruíz Rodríguez, and the operator of the new BRT route represented by Francisco Gámez, Managing Director of the transport operator Transportes Rober S.A., celebrated the grand opening of the new route.
Granada’s local public transport is completely based on a close-knit bus route network which links the suburbs with the city centre. Up until now most of the routes ran via the “Gran Via de Colon” through the city centre. This concentration of bus routes in the city centre area with lots of junctions controlled by traffic lights slowed down bus transport and led to conflicts with the pedestrian and cycle traffic. In order to improve the traffic situation in the centre, Granada’s town planners looked for a new transport concept which could reduce the number of buses in the city centre and simultaneously increase capacity and punctuality.
CapaCity: modern, comfortable and generously sized
Even if the route was christened Linea de Alta Capacidad (LAC): alongside the capacity of the CapaCity of up to 193 passengers, the design was also important to the planners and they gave this spatial marvel the Metro design package. The concept visually and functionally builds on sophisticated, dynamically painted vehicles which also make an active contribution towards climate protection with environmentally friendly powertrain engineering. The Bus-Way concept realised back in 2006 in Nantes served as a role model and inspiration for Granada. The aim: the Mercedes-Benz CapaCity should bring with it all the visual advantages of a tram or underground train, but be considerably less expensive to operate. To this end the bus stop areas of the LAC were redesigned and today facilitate stepless entry. At the stops all four pivot-and-slide doors open simultaneously and create the impression of a overground tram.
LAC: punctual, fast and reliable
Every 3 to 5 minutes the metro-style CapaCity buses travel on the 3.4 km route. To operate the 10 stopping points the Mercedes-Benz regular-service bus can virtually avoid other local traffic altogether. In the urban area the planners have completely blocked the Gran Via for motorised private transport, and alongside cyclists and pedestrians only the CapaCity uses this section of road. Real-time displays show the actual arrival and departure times at the newly designed stops. This and the ticketing system implemented outside the vehicles aim to ensure a rapid flow of passengers.
Awaiting the passenger in the interior of the vehicles is seating alternating in green and blue plus two wheelchair and pram areas with an integral rest support. Opposite there is a large standing section, also with rest supports and a centrally positioned “trident” grab-rail system which offers support to the front and to the rear and the side. In addition all vehicles have traffic light priority switching.
Many names, one aim
Whether it’s the Metrobüs in Istanbul, Bus de haute Niveau de Service (BHNS) in Strasbourg, Busway in Nantes or Lìnea de Alta Capacidad (LAC) in Granada – in spite of different designations all transport systems have the same aim: the creation of modern and punctual bus transport systems with a high degree of passenger acceptance for the long-term relief of urban structures. In Europe the pioneer was France, where such systems have been in successful operation for many years.
