Urban transport modes – Page 290
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NewsMoscow metro extended to Zhulebino
RUSSIA: A 5 km extension to Moscow metro Line 7 opened on November 9. This extends the line southeast from Vykhino to Zhulebino, with an intermediate station at Lermontovskiy Prospekt. The extension puts 90% of the population of Zhulebino district within ‘walking distance’ of the metro, according to Moscow ...
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NewsTfGM backs Manchester tram-train proposals
UK: A report outlining proposals for the development of tram-train services sharing tracks with heavy rail services and also running on-street was approved by Transport for Greater Manchester Committee's Capital Projects & Policy Sub-Committee on November 7. An initial study into the feasibility, cost and benefits of potential routes has ...
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NewsMainzelbahn approved
GERMANY: Stadtwerke Mainz has approved the construction of the 9·2 km Mainzelbahn tram extension from Hauptbahnhof West to Lerchenberg. The metre-gauge line would have 15 stops. Approval is subject to federal and Land grants being confirmed. Of the €83·6m cost, Stadtwerke Mainz would bear €31m, with €44m coming from ...
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NewsChennai metro starts test running
INDIA: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa flagged off the first Chennai metro test train on an 800 m track at Koyambadu depot on November 6. The train has been imported from Alstom’s São Paulo factory. Of the 42 air-conditioned trainsets, nine are being built in São ...
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NewsZhuhai awards contract for catenary-free tram line
CHINA: CNR Dalian subsidiary CNR Equipment Engineering Co has awarded Ansaldo STS a €26m contract to build the 8·7 km Line 1 of the Zhuhai tramway using TramWave catenary-free technology. This is the first phase of a planned network which CNR Dalian is to develop under a framework agreement with ...
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NewsToshiba and Marubeni awarded Bangkok Purple Line contracts
THAILAND: Construction contractor CH Karnchang signed contracts with Marubeni and Toshiba on November 6 for E&M systems for the Bangkok Purple Line. The contracts cover supply of power distribution equipment, signalling and control systems and telecommunications, including 10 years of maintenance. The contracts also cover a fleet of ...
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NewsTracklaying starts on Midland Metro extension
UK: A ceremony was held on November 5 to mark the start of tracklaying on the 1⋅4 km extension of the Midland Metro light rail system through the centre of Birmingham, running from Snow Hill to New Street. ‘This is a significant and symbolic moment for the Metro extension’, said ...
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NewsShanghai tram proposal
CHINA: Shanghai Transport & Port Authority has proposed a 90 km, six-line tram network in the southwestern Songjiang district. This is the first stage of a plan for an 800 km network by 2020. The plan envisages that the 16 km route T1 from Xinsongjiang Road to Xinqiao would be ...
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NewsSiemens unveils first Avenio tram in München
GERMANY: The first Siemens Avenio tram was publicly unveiled in München on November 4. In September 2012 München utility body SWM awarded Siemens a €29m contract for eight vehicles, designated Type T1 by city transport operator MVG. Following testing, the trams will enter passenger service alongside the Bombardier/Siemens Type ...
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NewsAdelaide tram expansion plan launched
AUSTRALIA: South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill has begun public consultation on an integrated transport & land use plan for the Adelaide region. It has been developed by the South Australia government together with industry groups and government agencies. Total cost of the 30-year package is put at A$36bn, with an ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - November 2013
Last month EIB signed a €50m loan agreement to fund road modernisation projects in Sofia including the upgrade of 7·6 km of tramway. Oklahoma City has approved funding for a US$130m tram line. Phase 1 would run for around 8 km and have six air-conditioned vehicles. The French ...
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NewsDhaka metro construction officially launched
BANGLADESH: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the Dhaka metro on October 31 at Bhawal Badre Alam University College Ground. The project is to be developed with Japanese assistance, following the signing of a 40-year soft loan agreement with JICA in February valued at ¥10·477bn. The ...
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NewsSeoul Line 9 contract extension awarded
SOUTH KOREA: The SML9 consortium of Transdev and RATP Dev signed a contract extension for the operation and maintenance of the Seoul metro Line 9 metro on October 28. The 10-year contract is worth €525m. Line 9 is the only line in Seoul run by a private operator, which ...
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NewsStockholm light rail extension opens
SWEDEN: Regular services on a 7 km extension of Stockholm's Tvärbanan light rail line north from Alvik to Solna Centrum began on October 28, following opening celebrations and free rides the previous day. The extension includes a 0·8 km tunnel. It adds seven stops to the line, with two providing ...
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NewsFirst Škoda tram on its way to Konya
TURKEY: The first of 60 trams for Konya left Škoda Transportation’s Plzen factory in the Czech Republic on October 29, almost seven months after the €104·7m contract was announced. The 100% low-floor Type 28T vehicle is based on 31 trams ordered by Miskolc in Hungary. The five-section tram is ...
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NewsHo Chi Minh City metro Line 5 funding secured
VIETNAM: The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways has announced that three foreign organisations will help to finance metro Line 5. The Asian Development Bank will provide US$500m, the European Investment Bank €150m and the Spanish government €200m. The remainder will come from the Vietnamese government’s ...
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NewsMelbourne’s B-Class trams to be refurbished
AUSTRALIA: Public Transport Victoria is investing A$4·4m to refurbish Melbourne’s B-Class trams, which make up a quarter of Yarra Trams’ fleet. The work will be completed early next year and aims to increase the capacity of each two-section tram by seven to nine passengers. This will be achieved by ...
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NewsWarszawa orders short trams
POLAND: Tramwaje Warszawskie has selected Pesa to supply 30 low-floor trams to the Polish capital for 185·4m złoty. Pesa beat offers from Solaris, CAF, Škoda Transportation and Stadler. At 20 m long, the unidirectional three-section trams from Pesa’s Jazz family will be shorter than most of the Warszawa fleet. ...
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NewsDubai metro contract extended
UAE: Serco Group announced on October 24 that it had extended its contract with Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority to operate and maintain the metro network. The five-year extension is worth £355m and will run to September 2019, with an option to extend it further to 2021. Serco has ...
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NewsTyne & Wear Metro launches door safety campaign
UK: A campaign to encourage passengers not to obstruct train doors has been launched on the Tyne & Wear Metro. This includes a specially-commissioned animation 'Use your brain near a train' which is being published via social media. The campaign has been launched in response to recommendations made by ...