Services on Kharkiv tram route 16 and 16A restarted on February 24 with 20 Tatra T6A5 trams supplied by Praha as humanitarian aid and two Tatra T3 trams from Brno. Services stopped when the fleet was damaged by Russian shelling following the full-scale invasion in 2022. The Mayor said the city needs 100 to 120 more trams to return to previous service levels.
Low-speed testing of the Edinburgh tramway extension to Newhaven began on the night of March 13, when the first tram in over 65 years ran down Leith Walk. The £207·3m extension is being built by Sacyr Farrans Neopul JV. ‘We’re fast approaching the start of passenger services this spring, and that the project is set to be delivered on time and within budget, despite the challenges of recent years, is testament to the hard work of all those involved’, said Transport & Environment Convener Councillor Scott Arthur.
Thessaloniki automated light metro construction contractor Aktor has awarded Hitachi a €129·5m contract to supply a further 15 four-car trainsets, including nine which are needed for the extension to Kalamaria .
The operation of Bombardier TVR guided trolleybuses in Nancy ended on March 12. The line opened in 2000, with a centre guide rail for part of the 11 km route and manual steering elsewhere. Plans for a conventional tramway were dropped, and it will be replaced by Hess LighTram 25 trolleybuses. A similar TVR system in Caen closed in 2017.
Metro Transit Police officers in Washington DC are carrying naloxone (sold under the Narcan brand), which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in the minutes before paramedics arrive. Calls reporting suspected overdoses rise from 27 incidents in 2021 to 43 in 2022. Non-profit The h3 Project DC has provided training in procedures, safety precautions and signs of an opioid overdose. Metro has also recruited four Crisis Intervention Specialists trained in mental health awareness and de-escalation methods.
Transport for London has launched an ‘active bystander’ campaign providing clear guidance on how people can safely intervene if they witness incidents of hate crime on public transport, and encouraging people to offer support to anyone who has been targeted. Advice includes ignoring the offender and asking the victim an unrelated question such as ‘what’s the time?’.
DPP Praha plans to rebuild 65 T3R.P trams into the partly-low floor T3R.PLF design at its Hostivař workshop. The modernisation includes new passenger information systems, 2+1 seating in the high-floor section, LED lighting and a two-tone flooring to assist visually impaired. The first tram to be rebuilt in the current programme returned to service on Route 13 on March 6.
Chicago Transit Authority has joined the US Army’s Partnership for Your Success initiative that prepares soldiers for civilian roles. ‘CTA is committed to becoming an employer of choice for veterans because we recognise and value their unique experiences, skills and knowledge’, said CTA President Dorval R Carter Jr. ‘Through recruitment and partnership efforts, we strive to offer the support and resources our veterans and their families need to succeed in our community and workforce.’
Mohamed Hefny has joined the UK‘s Light Rail Safety & Standards Board, where he will design and implement effective reporting protocols for its Tramway Accident & Incident Reporting system and managing continuous improvement of data collection and quality. ’A major upgrade to TAIR is now nearing completion, and the appointment of a dedicated data analyst will help ensure that operators are able to make the most of the pioneering system’, said LRSSB CEO Carl Williams.
Maryina Roscha station on Moskva Central Diameter line D2 opened on March 2, providing interchange with the recently opened Bolshaya Koltsevaya (‘Big Circle’) orbital metro and Line 10.
Chicago Transit Authority has begun providing a live video stream of morning peak platform crowding at six stations on the Logan Square – Chicago section of the Blue line, helping passengers decide when is the best time to travel.
