Guelph buses to get greener
CANADA: Funding has been announced for three projects to convert the bus fleet in the city of Guelph in Ontario to battery operation.
Byford quits New York City Transit
USA: New York City Transit President Andy Byford is to leave his role by the end of February. Announcing his resignation on January 23, Byford highlighted the planned restructuring of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority as a factor in his departure.
Federal funding to support Sound Transit light rail extension
USA: Seattle-Tacoma transport authority Sound Transit has been awarded a $790m Full Funding Grant Agreement by the Federal Transit Administration to help fund the 12·6 km Federal Way Link extension of the Seattle light rail network.
Federal funding to support innovative approaches to public transport
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has launched the Accelerating Innovative Mobility initiative, which Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said would ‘enhance the service, design, and financing of public transportation systems through forward thinking and innovative practices’.
New York MTA to study passenger options for Brooklyn freight corridor
USA: New York MTA is to launch a formal study of proposals to introduce passenger trains over the 27 km Bay Ridge line in Brooklyn.
Birmingham’s Eastside tram extension approved
UK: The Secretary of State for Transport has approved a Transport & Works Act Order granting the West Midlands Combined Authority powers to build and operate the the Eastside extension of the West Midlands Metro tramway.
Bus Open Data Service to be launched
UK: The government has announced plans to launch a Bus Open Data Service with the aim of making it easier for passengers to access information on bus routes, timetables, location and fares in England.
Shijiazhuang metro extended
CHINA: A 5·4 km extension of Shijiazhuang metro Line 3 north from Shierzhong to Xisanzhuang opened on January 20, taking the line to 11·8 km with 10 stations. Construction had begun in August 2016.
Tunis suburban railway modernisation backed by EBRD
TUNISA: The acquisition of 18 light rail vehicles to replace ageing rolling stock on the 18 km Tunis – La Goulette – La Marsa 750 V DC overhead electric suburban railway is to be financed using a €45m loan agreed last month by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development ...
Istanbul airport metro tracklaying begins
TURKEY: The start of tracklaying on metro line M11 to Istanbul’s main airport was officially marked when President Erdoğan attended the welding of a ceremonial first rail at the future Gayrettepe terminus on January 18.
New York MTA awards 8th Avenue corridor CBTC contract
USA: New York MTA has awarded LK Comstock & Co a $245·8m contract to install Siemens Mobility Communications-Based Train Control, and undertake other equipment enhancements on the 8th Avenue subway corridor.
Free wi-fi goes live on Delhi airport metro line
INDIA: Delhi Metro Rail Corp has launched passenger wi-fi on the Airport Express Line, providing ‘seamless and free internet connectivity’.
Line 10 work resumes in Valencia
SPAIN: Municipal operator FGV has resumed work to complete light rail Line 10 in Valencia. Originally known as tram line T2, work started in 2006 and was halted in 2011 on financial grounds, with around €200m having already been spent.
Tram driving National Occupational Standards to be reviewed
UK: Industry group UKTram is leading a project to review the existing Tram Driver National Occupational Standards. The tram driver standards were last updated in 2005, and the review is scheduled to be completed by June.
Tai Wai – Kai Tak extension to open on February 14
CHINA: The first section of Hong Kong MTR’s long-awaited Shatin – Central Link project will open for revenue service on February 14, the operator announced on January 17.
250 km/h ‘high speed metro’ in Guangzhou urban rail plan
CHINA: The Guangzhou municipal government has approved a 15-year plan to increase public transport’s market share to 80% through the development of a comprehensive urban rail network based on three metro, ‘express metro’ and ‘high speed metro’ networks.
London Overground Aventra maintenance contract to run to 2035
UK: Bombardier Transportation is to continue to maintain the London Overground Class 710 Aventra electric multiple-unit fleet until July 2035, under an agreement with Transport for London which has moved the break point in the manufacturer’s servicing contract from July 2025 to July 2035.
EBRD finances Izmir metro civil works
TURKEY: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is to provide Izmir Metropolitan Municipality with a loan to finance the €754·5m construction of civil works for the planned Üçyol – Buca driverless metro line serving the southeast of the city.
Boston revises fare collection modernisation plan
USA: Following ‘critical feedback from riders, advocates and policymakers’, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has announced a revised Fare Transformation programme which it said would combine ‘meaningful improvements’ to existing payment systems with a phased approach to the deployment of a new system ‘that better represents the needs of MBTA customers’.
Cubic and Moovit announce Mobility-as-a-Service co-operation
TECHNOLOGY: Fare collection technology company Cubic Transportation Systems and travel software developer Moovit have signed a strategic agreement for further collaboration in the Mobility-as-a-Service market, including integration of Moovit’s multimodal trip planning with Cubic’s mobile payment and ticketing capabilities. This will provide a platform offering service alerts, route information, multimodal ...