France: Test running of Alstom Citadis trams began on the first phase of Nice tram Line 1 in early May. Opening of the 8·7 km line between Pont-Michel and Comte-de-Falicon is planned for September.
Hungary: On May 4 Siemens delivered the last of 40 Combino Plus 54 m long trams ordered by Budapest transport authority BKV (RG 3.07 p141).
Peru: The Andean Development Corporation has agreed to fund work to update passenger forecasts for Line 1 of the Lima metro, completed between Villa El Salvador and Atocongo but originally planned to run for a further 24·6 km to Bayóvar. Studies in 2001 suggested the route would carry 312 000 passengers a day and record 100 million passenger-journeys a year, but economic activity and the residential population have since increased.
Spain: As part of a station upgrade programme, COE has supplied Valencia metro operator FGV with its X-Net optical multiplexing system, allowing CCTV images from up to four stations to be sent to the control room down a single optic fibre.
The Ayora - Marítim Serrería extension of Valencia metro Line 5 opened on April 2, followed by a light rail connection from Marítim Serrería to Neptú with stops at Francisco Cubells and Grau. The extension of Line 5 from Mislata-Almassil to Valencia Airport, serving five intermediate stations, opened on April 18 (RG 4.07 p188). FGV's first five Series 4300 units have entered service on lines 1 and 5.
Overhead wiring on the Metro_Centro light rail route in Sevilla (RG 3.07 p128) was due to be energised on May 7 to enable trials to commence with two of the four LRVs CAF is providing while it builds the definitive fleet of five vehicles for the route. These will be equipped with batteries to provide traction power in the historic core of the city.
Urazca Construcciones and Vías y Construcciones have won a €10m contract to build a control centre and LRV maintenance facility for the 7·8 km first section of Vitoria's planned metre-gauge light rail network (RG 10.06 p645). There will be a five-road maintenance building as well as covered stabling for 11 trams.
Turkey: Istanbul's Directorate of Rail Systems has called tenders for electrical and mechanical systems on the 3·6 km extension of the metro from 4 Levent to Haci Osman.
UAE: On May 23 Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority Chairman Mattar Al-Tayer announced the go-ahead for the 49 km Purple Line, which will provide express services to the existing international airport and the new airport at Jebel Ali. Running further inland than the east-west Red Line now under construction, the Purple Line will have four intermediate stations offering baggage check-in facilities.
UK: Transport for London has appointed Mott MacDonald to develop a preferred design option for a proposed extension of the Croydon Tramlink light rail system to Crystal Palace.
USA: Earth Tech has been awarded a $22m contract covering the design of six stations on the planned 26 km Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Project extension of the BART network from Fremont to San Jose. Construction could begin this year, and completion of the $4·8bn line is planned for 2016.
The New Jersey Transit board has approved a $5·7m final design study for a proposed 13 km DMU-operated line linking central Hackensack with Hawthorne station on the Main Line route. The cost of the route over New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway tracks is put at $156m, and work could begin in 2008 for opening in 2010.
