Luxembourg: Luxtram eyes an expanding network
As Luxembourg City’s first modern light rail line nears completion, work is getting underway on two branches to form a second route. Two more routes are being planned, along with an interurban link to the country’s second city.
Facial recognition could remove the need for tickets
TICKETING: Belgian public transport ticket validator supplier Prodata Mobility has developed a proof of concept facial recognition system which could remove the need for passengers to carry a ticket or smart card.
St Louis orders light rail vehicles with onboard energy storage
USA: Bi-State Development Agency has formally awarded Siemens Mobility a contract supply 55 high-floor light rail vehicles with battery onboard energy storage for the MetroLink network serving the greater St Louis region.
Porto Pink Line signalling contract awarded
PORTUGAL: Metro do Porto has awarded Alstom a contract to supply signalling, safety and control systems for the Pink Line project.
Maryland’s Purple Line project pushed back
USA: The opening date for the 26 km Purple Line light rail route between New Carrollton and Bethesda in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC has been pushed back again.
Rail skills and innovation collaboration
UAE: A strategic partnership to develop rail sector skills and innovation in the UAE and the wider region has been agreed by Dubai metro and tram operator Keolis MHI and the UK’s University of Birmingham, which has a campus in Dubai.
Le Mans trams to be lengthened to boost capacity
FRANCE: Le Mans Métropole has awarded Alstom a €57m contract to extend the city’s 34 Citadis trams from 32 m to 44 m. This will increase capacity by 85 passengers to 296.
Moskva-2024 metro train enters service
RUSSIA: Moskva Metro put the first Moskva-2024 series trainset into service on March 11 as part of a three-year renewal of the Line 2 fleet.
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
Leeds and Bradford trams in West Yorkshire mass transit plan
UK: Plans for two tram lines in Leeds and Bradford have been set out by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, ahead of the Mayoral election in May.
Bochum light rail vehicle modernised as B80-Neo
GERMANY: Stadler has completed work on the first of 25 Bochum light rail vehicles which it is to extensively modernise over the next four years.
Cubic demonstrates the future of station ticket gates
TICKETING: A demonstration ticket gate bringing together various concepts for the future was displayed by Cubic Transportation Systems at the Transport Ticketing Global exhibition in London.
Stockholm metro trains ordered
SWEDEN: Transport authority SL has awarded Alstom a firm order to supply a further 20 Movia C30 metro trains for the Stockholm metro.
More Paris metro trains ordered
FRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP has awarded Alstom a firm order to supply a further 103 five-car MF19 metro trainsets.
Easier ticket gates for Paris and Egypt
TICKETING: One of the 1 200 custom-designed ticket gates that Easier is supplying for the Grand Paris Express automated metro project was on show at the Transport Ticketing Global event in London.
Macau LRT East Line contract awarded
CHINA: Macau’s Public Works Bureau has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Top Builders Macau Co and Hou Chun Construction & Engineering Corp a contract to supply MHI’s Automated Guideway Transit rubber-tyred light metro technology for the Light Rapid Transit East Line.
Metro to the Taj Mahal opens
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section of the Agra metro by teleconference on March 6, with passenger services starting at 06.00 the following day.
Sustainable last-mile LEAP connectivity at Bengaluru metro stations
INDIA: The Low Emission Access to Public Transport programme has been launched to enhance last-mile connectivity at Namma Metro stations in Bengaluru and encourage women to become rickshaw drivers.
Madrid metro automation planned
SPAIN: The automation of Madrid metro lines 6 and 8 is planned, President of the Community of Madrid Isabel Natividad Díaz Ayuso has announced.
Urban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.