FINLAND: The cabinet voted on March 11 to provide €200m towards the total €713m cost of extending the metro westwards into the neighbouring city of Espoo.

In the wake of the decision, planning tenders are expected to be received this month, with construction likely to start in 2009 and the first trains expected to run four years later. The local authorities of Espoo and Helsinki are to split the remaining costs of building the 13 km Länsimetro extension from Ruoholahti to Matinkylä, which will have six stations.