This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
A 4 km eight-stop extension of Strasbourg’s tram Route F from Comtes to Wolfisheim Henri Rendu which was built at a cost of €122m opened on November 15. At the same time, the first of 39 Citadis 3 trams which are being supplied by Alstom to replace Eurotrams dating from 1994 entered service.
The first of eight driverless trainsets for the RTS Link automated metro across the Straits of Johor between Singapore and Malaysia arrived at the future line’s Wadi Hana depot from CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive’s Batu Gajah factory on November 15.
On November 9 Budapest transport operator BKV carried out test runs on the city’s cog wheel railway (Line 60) using a pair of Tatra T5C5 trams. The trials were intended to assess the feasibility of adhesion-only operation. BKV said the rack railway’s track and rolling stock need renewing, and it is looking at options for future operation ‘in a safe, modern and economical way’.
Halle transport operator HAVAG is to use Zedas Asset software to digitise the management of maintenance of its trams, buses and tramway infrastructure. Zedas said this offers tried-and-tested standards without the need for complex adaptation, and ease of use with mobile devices.
AT&T and Boldyn Networks have launched 5G mobile service in New York MTA’s G Line tunnels between Court Square and Bedford–Nostrand Avenue. ‘Every new section we light up brings us closer to a fully connected New York’, said John Emra, President, Atlantic Region, AT&T, on November 12. ‘We are helping ensure reliable, high-speed 5G is part of the everyday transit experience for New Yorkers.’
SNCF Voyageurs has appointed Karine Ongaro as Director of Paris RER Line C, Yann Monod as director of line A, L & J and Alexandre Fournier as executive manager of SNCF Voyageurs Bourgogne Ouest Nivernais.
Integrated governance arrangements have been established for Edinburgh Council’s arm’s length transport organisations. From November 14 Susan Deacon is Edinburgh Trams board Chair and Sarah Boyd is Chief Executive, with Iain Reid, Tony Rose, Stephanie Rivet, Loraine Strachan and Mark Yexley as non-executive directors. Martin Dean (Chair), Peter Cushing and Colin Kerr have stepped down, and Lea Harrison will continue as Managing Director until January 31 2026 after which he will step down.
The US Federal Transit Administration has published its updated policy guidance for the Capital Investment Grants programme, and will no longer consider the social cost of carbon analysis when rating projects.