ACCOMPANIED by police, press, local TV and technical staff, the first test car inched along the Strasbourg Line A extension from Baggersee to Illkirch on May 25 (right). Due to open on July 4, the extension adds 2·8 km and four stations. The route crosses the Rhone-Rhine canal on a new bridge to reach the Lixenbuhl terminus. Work continues on a short-working terminus at Etoile-Polygone, on a 125 m spur off Line A. This will be used by a Line D service to Rotonde which will double the frequency of trams on the central section from September.
This month should also see the start of work on Line B, with installation of a 90° crossing at Homme de Fer. Costed at Fr1·6bn at 1995 prices, Line B will be operated by 27 cars of seven or nine sections (RG6.98 p422). It will have three branches totalling 12·2 km radiating from the Place de la République.
After crossing Line A, the southwest arm will continue through five stops to Elsau, where there is to be a new tram and bus depot. The southeastern branch will run to Avenue de Gaulle near the university, with three intermediate stops. The longest branch with 11 stops runs almost due north to Hoenheim Nord via the Congress Centre, serving the communes of Schiltigheim and Bischheim.
Plans are in hand to link the Elsau branch with SNCF tracks nearby, to enable through running to Molsheim. A link is also envisaged at Hoenheim with the line to Haguenau. Rail on Line B will have a larger groove to take heavy rail compatible wheelsets.
Most of Line B is due to open in September 2000, to coincide with the start of the autumn term at the university and the schools complex at Pont Phario. This will be the interim terminus of the northern branch pending completion to Hoenheim. Around 108000 people, or a quarter of the city’s population, will live within 400m of Line B. It will also serve 67500 work places. There will be four park-and-ride interchanges, in addition to the three on Line A. o
