Opened in 1888, the Peak Tram is one of the most historic and iconic tourist attractions in Hong Kong, transporting passengers from the Central district to Victoria Peak. To upgrade the existing tramway system and provide better service for passengers, it underwent a major renovation, with the aim of increasing the tram car capacity while redeveloping the terminals to improve holding capacity and the waiting environment.

In collaboration with architects AGC Design Ltd, Arup provided multidisciplinary design and engineering services for the upgrade project, covering transportation consulting and civil, structural, and geotechnical engineering, from the initial planning and feasibility stage through to detailed design and construction supervision.

The Lower Terminal at Garden Road has been extended to provide covered, temperature-controlled arrival and waiting areas for over 1,000 passengers, with the 6th generation Peak Tram making its public debut in August 2022.

Preparing for peak demand

Before the pandemic, the Peak Tram’s popularity posed a great challenge as demand far exceeded capacity at peak times. We provided comprehensive boarding and disembarking arrangements and queuing strategies based on surveys, video analytics, and simulation modeling at both the Upper and Lower terminals. Crowd management measures were proposed to enhance the level of service for passengers. We were able to optimize the queuing arrangements and space allocation to cater to the increased tram capacity.

Enhancing the transit experience

Steel portal frames were installed to strengthen the existing structure while supporting the electrical and mechanical equipment, including LED screens. Headroom has been maximized throughout for the passengers’ visual experience while providing sufficient space to accommodate necessary equipment.

Between the new waiting and platform areas, approximately 40m-long inclined moving walkways transfer passengers in a fully enclosed environment. The area is covered by a spiral-shaped portal roof that is aluminum-clad with custom skylights offering passengers glimpses of the surrounding urban skyline.

Ensuring safe and comfortable boarding

The platform structure was designed to accommodate docking devices, which supply conditioned air into the tram car before boarding. To ensure passengers’ comfort, we optimized the design of the structure to integrate the docking devices and installations for the automatic screen gates, which enhance passenger safety.

In addition, the design of the platforms has been engineered to incorporate the track alignment and steep gradient in conjunction with station planning requirements to ensure safety during operation and provide enhanced accessibility. We closely coordinated with the project team to ensure the precise layout and tolerance requirements were achieved during construction.

Simplifying construction complexity

As the layout of the Lower Terminal is situated within a congested urban environment with numerous constraints and limitations on access, we utilized digital tools and adopted a rationalized approach to the structural designs to aid in material delivery and constructability.

Steelwork solutions were carefully coordinated with other disciplines and simplified through the standardization of section members and connection details. Bolted splice locations were carefully planned and designed for ease of erection. Raft foundations were adopted where possible to avoid complex deep excavations and shorten the approval process and construction program.

 

Preserving history

The Peak Tram is surrounded by a number of historical structures and declared monuments. We performed careful structural appraisals prior to design development, and closely liaised with relevant government departments to develop structural designs with minimum impact.

The fence wall at the Lower Terminus is formed by a developed system of salvaged rails from the previous tram tracks with verified structural properties, which provides a sustainable solution for the security of the tramway while conveying the historical value to passengers.

Through careful planning and precise engineering, the reconfigured and expanded Lower Terminus offers visitors a dynamic and spectacular pre-boarding experience.