New trains and CBTC to increase Bilbao metro capacity
SPAIN: Metro de Bilbao has announced a €736m plan to increase capacity by 12% by upgrading its metre-gauge network and replacing its oldest vehicles.
Madrid metro Line 6 to go driverless
SPAIN: Metro de Madrid has announced more details of its plans for the automation of the 23·5 km, 28-station circular Line 6, which is the busiest on the network with an average of 618 000 passengers on weekdays.
Driverless tram operation demonstrated in depot
FINLAND: The driverless movement of a tram around the Tampere tramway’s depot has been demonstrated, with Škoda Group saying its ’marks a significant step towards full autonomy’.
Art and architecture mark Napoli metro Line 6’s return
ITALY: Napoli metro Line 6 reopened on July 17, 11 years after services were suspended.
Driverless tram scheduled to carry first passengers in September
RUSSIA: Moskva’s first driverless tram is to begin carrying passengers in September, the city’s Department of Transport has announced.
Bozankaya wins Beograd tram tender
SERBIA: On July 11 Beograd city transport operator GSP named Turkish supplier Bozankaya as the winner of a 7·8bn dinar contract to supply 25 trams.
Tyne & Wear Metro SCADA contract awarded
UK: Tyne & Wear Metro operator Nexus has selected Sella Controls to undertake a £8·8m two-year project to replace the Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition System which is used to manage the network’s high and low voltage power supplies, fire and intruder alarms, lighting, lifts, escalators and tunnel drainage pumps.
Multimodal opportunities as Luxembourg tramway extension opens
LUXEMBOURG: The 3·7 km five-stop Phase D extension of the city of Luxembourg’s tramway south from Lycée Bouneweg to Stadion was opened by Mayor Lydie Polfer on July 7.
Mazyr to take delivery of first trams since 1988
BELARUS: The Mazyr tramway which is owned and operated by the oil refinery which it serves is about to take delivery of its first new trams since the 20 km line opened in 1988.
Rebodied tram unveiled
RUSSIA: The BKM-Siberia joint venture of Belarussian manufacturer Belkommunmash and the city of Novosibirsk unveiled its first rebodied partially low-floor Type T701 tram at the Siberian Transport Forum trade fair which was held in the city during June.
Toruń tram framework contract awarded
POLAND: Pesa Bydgoszcz has beaten Turkish company Bozankaya to win a framework contract to supply MZK Toruń with up to 20 low-floor unidirectional trams.
CAF sole bidder to supply Bologna trams
ITALY: CAF is the sole bidder for the tram tender in Bologna, the city council announced on June 25. The municipality is currently evaluating the offer and it still hopes to sign a contract by the end of the summer.
Paris metro Line 14 extended north and south
FRANCE: The length of Paris’ driverless metro Line 14 was more than doubled on June 24, when President Emmanuel Macron joined transport authority Ile-de-France-Mobilités and operator RATP to inaugurate northern and southern extensions
King inaugurates København M4 extension
DENMARK: The southern extension of København’s automated metro Line M4 serving the Sydhavn and Ny Ellebjerg districts was formally inaugurated by King Frederik X on June 22.
Paris metro and light rail operating contracts awarded
FRANCE: Paris transport authority Ile-de-France-Mobilités has awarded Keolis and RATP Cap Ile-de-France contracts to operate the future Grand Paris Express metro Line 18 and existing tram-train services T12 and T13.
Cluj-Napoca breaks ground for first metro line
ROMANIA: Construction of Cluj-Napoca metro Line 1 was launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 5, attended by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Minister of Transport & Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu and Mayor Emil Boc.
‘Extremely exacting’ Madrid metro train order signed
SPAIN: Metro de Madrid has signed a contract for sole bidder CAF to supply 40 six-car trainsets to operate on large-profile lines 6 and 8.
Paris opening doubles length of metro Line 11
FRANCE: The length of the Paris metro’s rubber-tyred Line 11 is almost doubled with the opening of a 6 km six-station extension from Mairie-des-Lilas to Rosny-Bois-Perrier.
Virtual reality tramway safety training tool launched
UK: A virtual reality tool designed to provide hazard awareness training for people who will be working on or near tram tracks has been developed by the Light Rail Safety & Standards Board in partnership with tram simulator specialist Avansim and industry association UKTram.
Tram extension links Blackpool North station to fresh air and fun
UK: Revenue passenger services on the Talbot Road branch of the Blackpool tramway are set to begin on June 16, following an official opening ceremony on June 12 when the winners of a prize draw travelled on an inaugural tram.