City Link
Blaenau Gwent Country Borough Council, Ebbw Vale, Wales/Great Britain
In order to ensure that the new developed site was integrated with the town centre, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council (BGCBC), needed an Equality Act compliant pedestrian link that would help connect the two areas, which were separated not by distance but by elevation; the town centre being over 30 meters higher than The Works site over a relatively short distance. As a result of this height difference a decision was taken to install a Mechanical Link which would enable pedestrians to access the two sites quickly, safely and easily. After consultation with specialists, an inclined cableway was the preferred option (Funded by the Welsh European Funding Office, Welsh Government and BGCBC).
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, took a trip on the Cableway and said: “It’s a fantastic way of linking the town centre.” If it was just steps it would be a problem for people with limited physical mobility. “It’s not just a link but a novelty for people as well.”
General
Year of Construction: 2015
System: Funicular
Drive: Traction Drive
Topographical Data
Length: 57 m
Difference in Level: 24 m
Inclination: 31 °
Track
Rail Type: HEA
Rail Gauge: 1200 mm
Operating Data
Load Capacity: 18 – 22 passenger
Travel Speed: 2 m/s
Capacity: ca. 650 pphd (pers./h/direction)
