THE PRESIDENT of the Madrid regional government Esperanza Aguirre announced on February 3 that a 2·5 km extension of Madrid Metro Line 8 from Barajas to the new Terminal 4 of the city’s airport is to be built at a cost of €52m.

Tendering of a concession to build and operate the route for 20 years began on the same day, with bids to be submitted by March 27. The regional government hopes to award the contract in May, with construction to be completed within nine months.

Capacity on Line 8 is being increased by 62% by lengthening all 14 Series 8000 trainsets from three to four cars at a cost of €33·5m. This will cater for traffic generated by the Terminal 4 extension as well as a new station at Pinar del Rey which is due to open this year.

Officially opened on February 4, Terminal 4 features Spain’s first-automated peoplemover which runs for 2·7 km between the main and satellite terminals. Supplied by Bombardier Transportation, it is operated with 19 rubber-tyred CX-100 vehicles which provide capacity for 6500 passengers per hour per direction.

  • The Madrid Metro network is due to grow by 6 km in 2006 when eight new stations are due to open. These include the extensions to La Elipa (Line 2), Alameda de Osuna (Line 5) and Pau de Carabanchel (Line 11) as well as a new station at Avenida de la Aviación Española on Line 10.

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