Perth Voice Interactive

THREE years since the idea was floated, a trackless tram is being tested in a carpark course in hopes it’ll one day run from Glendalough train station to Scarborough Beach.

Stirling mayor Mark Irwin has been a major driver behind the trackless tram plan.

“During peak hours the current road network in the Stirling City Centre, including parts of Scarborough Beach Road, is at capacity, and congestion and parking around the Scarborough precinct is a challenge,” he said in a press release this week.

“The tram offers a real possibility of getting people to leave their cars at home and use public transport, reducing emissions and making it easier for people to get around.”

Compared to a bus, the trams are auto-guided by magnetic nails embedded the road, they’re bidirectional so don’t need a huge wheelhouse to turn around, and they have more space for wheelchairs, prams and – importantly for Mr Irwin’s dream route – surfboards.

A model was brought over from China in September. Now, after a week’s work to embed magnetic nails in the carpark around Stirling’s Cedric Street, the tram has been running laps while experts run tests on how it operates, the impacts on the road surface, and the ride quality for passengers.

The public will have a chance to take a test ride during the Stirling Farmers Markets on November 26 from 8am to 11am at 25 Cedric Street.