Wien operator Wiener Linien has awarded Siemens Mobility a firm order to supply a further 10 Series X metro trains, exercising an option on its 2017 contract for an initial 34 six-car sets.
Paris region transport authority Ile-de-France-Mobilités has selected a consortium of Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs as preferred bidder for a contract to operate tram routes T4 and T11, plus the Esbly –Crécy section of suburban Line P. The award is expected to be confirmed formally on October 12.
The city government has authorised Metro de Madrid to call tenders for the supply of 86 new trains, with a budget of €1·37bn. The package will include 40 small-profile sets for use on Line 1, 33 large-profile trains for Lines 6 and 9, and seven sets for the extension of Line 11 to Conde de Casal. The remaining six are intended for a proposed line serving the Madrid Nuevo Norte regeneration area north of Chamartín.
Two extensions of Cochabamba’s Mi Tren light rail network have been opened for revenue service. The Red Line has been extended north by 900 m from Estación Central San Antonio to Antigua de Cochabamba. A 3·8 km western extension of the Green Line from Quillacollo to Estación Municipal Vinto was opened on September 21, serving two intermediate stops.
A 2 km one-stop southwestern extension of Delhi metro’s Orange Line (Airport Express) from Dwarka Sector 21 to Yasho Bhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 was opened on September 17.
Construction work has been officially launched for the 4 km Tram Ouest extension of Strasbourg tram Route F from Comtes to Wolfisheim, which will add eight stops. The line is expected to open by the end of 2025.
In München, utilities relocation has started for a 1 km tram branch from Regina-Ullmannstraße to Johanneskirchen station on S-Bahn line S8, with one intermediate stop. The main works are expected to start next year for completion in 2025. The line forms part of the Nordtangente project to construct three tram connections across the north of the city.
As part of the Oriental Consultants team, SMEC acted as supervision consultant during the construction phase of Indonesia’s Jabodebek LRT which was opened on August 28. ’Jabodebek LRT is an immensely complex rail project constructed through some of the most congested areas of Jakarta’, said Karen Atkinson, SMEC Chief Operating Officer, South East Asia. SMEC oversaw the implementation of GoA3 automation, and the construction of viaducts using U-shaped girders which it says ’has proved to be an elegant and cost-effective solution, saving space in the dense urban surroundings’.
RATP Dev and the city of Beograd have extended for a further year their June 2022 memorandum of understanding covering the provision of ‘early operator’ operations and maintenance advice for the automated metro project. This includes the passenger experience, environmental issues, user and staff safety and life-cycle costs. The first of three lines is expected to open from 2028.
UITP has launched a new Australia & New Zealand Division, headed by Auckland design consultant Rob Mayo. It replaces the former UITP Australia New Zealand organisation, which became the stand-alone Public Transport Association Australia New Zealand following the ending of a collaboration agreement on June 30 2022. ‘UITP is showing how committed we are to this important region’, said Kaan Yildizgoz, Senior Director of Membership & Global Operations. ‘Not only will we be able to listen closely to the needs of our members in ANZ right at the local level, we will be able to offer them a close connection to global expertise, international events, networking, policy development and thought leadership across the globe.’
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s ruggedised LAN OmniSwitch range and a Nokia multi-service IP/MPLS high-speed backbone data network have been selected to support CCTV and ventilation management systems for the Grand Paris Express automated metro project.
Hong Kong MTR Corp Operations Director Dr Tony Lee is to become Operations & Innovation Director with effect from October 1, taking on an additional role overseeing the corporation’s technology and innovation-related activities. Jeny Yeung, currently Hong Kong Transport Services Director, will become Managing Director, Hong Kong Transport Services.