SPAIN: Under a programme costing €104m, Madrid Metro is resignalling lines 1 and 6 with communications-based train control to increase capacity by 50% and 31·8% respectively. So far, 94 km of radiating cable has been laid, as well as over 200 km of optic fibre, with CBTC equipment being fitted to 93 six-car trainsets.

Balises and radio equipment are being installed on Line 1 which is 24 km long with 33 stations. The commissioning of CBTC is expected to cut headways by 31% and enable up to 23500 pass/h per direction to be carried in place of the current limit of 15600.

CBTC installation forms part of the 2007-10 modernisation programme for the 23·5 km Line 6 serving 28 stations, where capacity should be increased from 26000 to over 34000 pass/h per direction. The first Series 5000 trainset equipped with CBTC began running in commercial service on Line 6 on July 7.

Investment to date totals €221m, including new rolling stock, reinforcing the traction power supply and improvements to lighting and ventilation (RG 6.08 p351).