THE MUNICIPAL government in Napoli has announced plans to develop an 86 km light metro network by 2011, with the aim of removing 200000 car journeys per day from the city streets. Replacing proposals to expand the heavy metro (DM96 p55), the 5500bn lire programme will be implemented in two phases.
The municipality has already raised 80% of the funding for the 2200bn lire first phase, which will see the creation of a 53 km five-line network by 2001. Incorporating 45 km of existing local railway alignments, this will serve 68 stations. At the same time, ANM’s four surviving tram routes will be modernised.
The city is seeking 1500bn lire of government funding towards the 3300bn lire second phase, on which work is due to start next year. This would add a further 3 lines with a total route length of 33 km and another 28 stations. One of the new routes will incorporate the part-completed ’rapid tramway’ but with some alignment changes. Two more tram routes are planned, and two funiculars. o
