CHINA: The first trainset for the automated peoplemover that will form the southern section of Shanghai metro Line 8 was delivered to the city on January 12.

In June 2015 by Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co signed a turnkey contract with a 50:50 joint venture of Bombardier Transportation and CRRC Nanjing Puzhen for the supply of rolling stock and railway systems for a 6·6 km elevated route from the terminus of metro Line 8 at Shendu Gonglu to Pujiangzhen. Due to open in December, this will be operated by a joint venture of Shanghai Shentong Consulting (51%) and Keolis (49%). The peoplemover is expected to carry 73 000 passengers a day, with services running at peak headways of 4 min.

Bombardier is supplying 11 four-car driverless Innovia APM 300 trainsets from a factory in China. Longer-term plans envisage the purchase of a further 10 trainsets. Each rubber-tyred train has capacity for 600 passengers and a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The turnkey contract also cover the supply of Cityflo 650 CBTC and an operations control centre.