This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
Two extensions of Marseille tram Route 3 totalling 6·2 km opened on January 7, running from Arenc-Euroméditerranée to Capitaine Gèze and from Castellanne to La Gaye. The €350m cost was funded by Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, the Région Sud authority, the national government and the EU. The first of 15 CAF Urbos trams also entered service.
Hindustan Construction Co has commissioned Systra to undertake detailed design studies for sections PC-05 (5·5 km) and PC-06 (4·9 km) of Patna metro Line 1 (Red), connecting Mithapur Ramp and Rukanpura Ramp via twin tunnels and six underground stations. This builds on a previous Simulation Study and Detailed Design Consultancy work.
The city council in Yangsan has selected Woojin Industrial Systems’ newly established subsidiary Woojin Metro Yangsan to operate and maintain a rubber-tyred automated light metro line in the city northwest of Busan. The 83·6bn won contract is for five years from the opening which is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
Hitachi and Tobu Railway have entered into a strategic partnership to implement Hitachi’s next-generation HMAX digital asset management platform on one of Tobu Railway’s trains serving the Tokyo area. The co-creation is focusing on advancing the digital transformation of rolling stock maintenance, including automation of vehicle inspections, optimisation of manual operations, and strengthening on-site maintenance capabilities through digital tools.
Warszawa operator Tramwaje Warszawskie has cancelled a tender for a framework contract for the supply of up to 160 trams, after offers from Škoda Group and Hyundai Rotem were disqualified for technical reasons. A new procurement is being prepared.
MTR Corp is selling a commemorative ticket set offering unlimited rides in Hong Kong on February 17, the first day of the Lunar New Year. The designs by calligrapher and former MTR architect Abe Au and artist Joe Wong use red and gold symbolising festivity and prosperity. ‘The Chinese zodiac Lunar New Year tickets have always been well-loved’, said Cheris Lee, Deputy Director, Operating & Metro Segment. ‘Through the Year of the Horse ticket set, we hope to bring blessings to every trip.’
Bureau Veritas and Certifer Solutions, supported by Aecom and SMEC, have been appointed to provide independent certification services for the Sydney Metro West project. The scope includes certification across seven project delivery packages: Trains & Systems, Linewide, Stations Package West and the Hunter Street, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic and Pyrmont stations.
Riga municipal transport operator Rīgas Satiksme is planning to order 24 trams to replace its ageing T3 and T6 vehicles. Each tram should have a maximum length of 42 m and be able to carry at least 180 passengers.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that planning work for the Eastside Beltline light rail project was ‘secretly halted’ by the city council, the project team and transport agency MARTA last year.