Urban transport news – Page 182
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Metro Report InternationalSão Paulo Metro develops a station navigation system for blind passengers
BRAZIL: Metrô de São Paulo has developed an infrared navigation system to help blind passengers navigate stations. The ‘Siga Fácil’ system uses an infrared receptor device that attaches to a user’s mobile phones to receive directions from transmitters installed throughout a station. The directions can then be ...
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Metro Report InternationalSan Francisco Bay transport integration proposal
USA: Californian Assemblyman David Chiu has put forward a bill which would require all 27 transit agencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area’s nine counties to create a ‘seamlessly integrated public transport system’. The Bay Area Seamless Transit Act filed on February 4 proposes that agencies standardise ...
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NewsIle-de-France seeks to open RER network to competition by 2030
FRANCE: Ile-de-France is seeking to accelerate the opening up of local rail services to competition, regional President Valérie Pécresse announced on February 5. In line with the provisions of the EU’s Fourth Railway Package, the French regional passenger market is being liberalised with effect from January 1 2023. Under the ...
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Metro Report InternationalHelsinki metro fleet expansion and cab modifications agreed
FINLAND: Helsinki transport operator HKL has awarded CAF a €39·9m contract to supply a further five four-car M300 metro trainsets and provide spare parts over their expected 40-year life. The additional M300 sets are scheduled for delivery from CAF’s Zaragoza plant in 2022, providing an increase in ...
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Metro Report InternationalTMH modernises two Sofia Metro trainsets
Sofia modernised metro TMH BULGARIA: Transmashholding’s Metrowagonmash unveiled two four-car metro trainsets modernised for the metro of Sofia, on February 4. The 81-717.4/714.4 cars used on lines 1 and 2 have been equipped with new anti-skid wheel slide protections, safety standards-compliant interior materials, shockproof glass, smoke and ...
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Metro Report InternationalMetro de Panamá awards Line 3 contract
PANAMA: Metro de Panamá awarded the HPH joint venture of South Korean companies a US$2·5bn,54-month contract for the construction of Line 3 on February 4. The joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co, POSCO and Hyundai Engineering Co beat bids from China Railway Group, a consortium ...
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Metro Report InternationalBogotá Metro changes metro and BRT lines
COLOMBIA: The Mayor of Bogotá Claudia López has announced a new transport plan for the city, including the extension of the future Bogotá Metro’s first line and a change of the proposed Transmilenio bus rapid transit route. The 4·1km metro extension would run from Calle 72 to ...
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Metro Report InternationalPorto to introduce contactless ticketing this year
PORTUGAL: Porto is to begin the rollout of contactless ticketing this year, enabling holders of EMV bank cards to touch a validator and travel without needing to use the local Andante smart card. The TIP group of transport operators is working with Visa CyberSource, financial services company ...
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Metro Report InternationalDetroit People Mover runs counter-clockwise for first time in 11 years
USA: The Detroit People Mover is operating counter-clockwise for the first time since 2008. According to the Detroit Transportation Corp, a major rail replacement on the circular line led to a reverse direction operational testing in December 2019. The testing ‘determined that there is an advantage to ...
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Metro Report InternationalFTA approves $4·55bn of transport grants
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has awarded grants totalling $4·55bn to 22 projects. The FTA has granted $18m to various operators in Colorado for projects including the construction of of a bus maintenance facility in Denver and the purchase of a fleet of electric buses and charging ...
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Metro Report InternationalCubic Interactive aims to incentivise public transport use
LOYALTY: Cubic Transportation Systems has launched a loyalty platform which is designed to enable transport agencies to incentivise the use of public transport, to reward passengers for engaging with advertising in transport apps and to encourage travel outside the peaks. The first customer for Cubic Interactive is ...
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Metro Report InternationalBarcelona Metro opens first elevated station
SPAIN: On February 1, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona inaugurated a 1·6 km southern extension of metro Line 10 containing its first elevated station. The new €40m Zona Franca stop is located in the industrial district of Sants-Montjuïc and is expected to serve 3 600 passengers daily. Barcelona’s ...
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Metro Report InternationalTorino starts self-driving shuttle trials
ITALY: The city of Torino has started trials for its first self-driving shuttle programme. The trial will last for four months and will provide transport services within the United Nations International Training Center’s ILO campus in the city. The Olli electric vehicles are supplied by Arizona-based Local ...
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Metro Report InternationalPune Metro achieves financial closure
INDIA: Maharashtra Metro Corp has secured financing for its Pune Metro line from AFD France and the European Investment Bank. The international investors will co-finance the debt of the project, estimated at Rs58·3bn. The total value of the project is estimated at Rs113·2bn. The loans money will ...
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NewsMoscow suburban EMU order
RUSSIA: Transmashholding’s Demikhovo plans is to supply a further 10 EP2D 11-car DC electric multiple-units to Moscow operator Central Suburban Passenger Co between February and May this year. The manufacturer said the EMUs would combine modern looks and high performance with passenger comfort and safety. The driving ...
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Metro Report InternationalSingapore’s Thomson–East Coast metro line opens
SINGAPORE: The first 3·2 km section of SMRT’s Thomson–East Coast Line opened for passenger service on January 31. This adds three stations to the SMRT network: Woodlands North, Woodlands – which acts an interchange with the North South Line – and Woodlands South. When finished, the line ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst section of Taipei Circular Line opens
TAIWAN: The first section of Taipei Metro’s fully automated Circular metro line is now in operation, serving the Daipinglin district in the south of the city. The 15·4 km route has been developed by Hitachi Rail as part of its first turnkey metro contract ...
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Metro Report InternationalQatar orders self-driving electric shuttles
QATAR: Volkswagen AG and the Qatar Investment Authority have announced a deal for a fleet of self-driving electric shuttles ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The partnership will deliver 35 autonomous, electric ID. BUZZ AD cars capable of carrying up to four passengers, as well as ...
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NewsNew Zealand government announces investment in commuter capacity and freight
NEW ZEALAND: Rail has been allocated a NZ$1·1bn share of a NZ$6·8bn package of transport infrastructure funding announced by the government on January 29. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the rail investment was targeted at getting lorries off the roads and improving passenger services, particularly at busy ...
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Metro Report InternationalHanoi Metro lets three-year ticketing contract for Line 3
VIETNAM: French company RATP Smart Systems has signed a €12m contract with Hanoi Metro covering design and supply of the future Line 3’s ticketing system. The three-year contract includes the development of a contactless card and token system, as well as the installation of access control gates ...