Alstom has been selected as preferred bidder by Lille Métropole to modernise Line 1 of the city’s metro.
The contract is worth more than €250 million and is for the supply of an integrated system which includes an automatic driver system and 27 rubber-tyred metro trainsets.
After the signing of the contract, work will start mid-2012 for a completion in 2017.
The automatic trainsets from Alstom’s Metropolis range will be doubled in length in comparison to the existing fleet and will be able to carry up to 545 people.
A system of video cameras will transmit images in real time to the control centre and Urbalis signalling system control equipment will replace the current system.
The modernisation of Line 1 will allow transport capacity to be doubled. It will also lead to a reduction in energy consumption of 20%.
The new system will be less costly to maintain and more flexible to run.
It is scheduled to come into service progressively from 2015 and this will be carried out ‘without disturbing line operation’, Alstom said.
