NINGBO, China, March 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. won the bid for the III section of the first phase of the Ningbo Rail Transit Line 5 project on March 6, whereby the company will provide and install 77 escalators and elevators at the stations along the line, including 63 public escalators as well as 14 vertical elevators, of which 12 will be installed in locations providing panoramic views while being ridden.
The 27.954 km-long first phase, served by 22 stations, is one of the key elements of Ningbo's second round of urban renovation. The transit line is scheduled to go into trial operation in 2021 after five years of construction.
As China's 13th Five-Year Plan for rail transit construction accelerates, the demand for heavy-duty escalators, a key support component for rail transit systems, is increasing. Hitachi's BPG series of public escalators are designed for addressing the onerous transport requirements of urban transit systems and are fully in compliance with industry standards in terms of the durability of the parts, the strength of the drive train and the performance of the braking system, meeting and even surpassing the expectations of transit authorities. In addition, the series comes equipped with over 30 safety devices, providing passengers with a safe travel experience. The intelligent diagnostic technology closely and continuously monitors and analyzes the escalators' state of operation, interconnectivity and unanticipated risks, providing passengers with an "Intelligence+" travel experience that focuses on safety and other thoughtful services.
The BPG escalators designed for responding to high passenger throughput and maximizing the uptimes required by urban rail transit systems have been widely deployed in several markets worldwide. Twenty-two Chinese cities have to date incorporated Hitachi Elevator's products and services into their rail transit projects. The sales of the company's escalators and elevators for rail transit projects continue to grow rapidly.
According to the Analysis of Urban Rail Transit Industry report published by Forward (Qianzhan) Intelligence Co. Ltd., China's urban rail transport systems will be extended by more than 3,000 km during the country's 13th Five-Year Plan period to over 8,300 km by 2022. As China embraces a new era during which the rail transit market grows rapidly, Hitachi Elevator is also exploring innovations in products and solutions supporting metro systems, stations and airports, among other public infrastructure. The people-centered approach to product development helps Hitachi Elevator create comprehensive public transport solutions for urban rail transit systems with the aim of meeting the diversified travel needs of people living in urban areas.
