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APM on a viaduct crossing water
Artist's impression of the Automated People Mover at HS2's Interchange Station

Automated People Mover

The new Automated People Mover (APM) system will move passengers between HS2’s Interchange Station, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham International rail station and Birmingham Airport.

The APM will run on an elevated 1.4 mile (2.2km) long viaduct, and range in height from 6 to 14 metres, crossing the NEC, West Coast Main Line and M42 Motorway. ​It will be complete in time for the start of services at HS2 Interchange Station.​

Well-known locations of other APMs in the UK include Birmingham Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, Stansted Airport and Heathrow Terminal 5.

Capacity and connectivity

Services every three minutes will transport 2,100 passengers 2.3km between Interchange Station and Birmingham Airport in six minutes.

Automated People Mover design

The viaduct the Automated People Movers will travel on will be made of weathering steel, which will be supported by concrete columns.

Weathering steel initially appears as a fresh, orange-brown colour. After a few years of exposure to the elements, the colour changes to a dark brown ‘chocolate’ colour. It is a popular choice of material for infrastructure such as viaducts because of its low maintenance requirements, which means less disruption in the surrounding area. 

The APM stops are designed to be simple and intuitive for passengers. The use of colour will provide clear wayfinding for passengers, while information screens and passenger announcements will provide live journey updates. All stops will be fully accessible

Automated People Mover maintenance facility

The Automated People Mover vehicles will be cleaned and maintained in a dedicated maintenance facility. This facility will be located alongside the viaduct, to the east of where the viaduct crosses the M42. 

We have moved the location of the maintenance facility since the original plans were developed. This reduces the length of the viaduct and minimises environmental impacts, while maintaining the same quality of service. 

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