Montpellier Tramway System Creation, France

The first line of Montpellier's new tramway system opened to the public on 1 July 2000 (official opening 30 June). The tramway project falls in line with recent trends, which have taken hold in France. These show that between now and 2010 it is expected that about 30 cities will install their own urban transport systems on reserved rights of way, at a cost of about FFr 70 billion ($9.4 billion).

MODERN TRANSPORT SYSTEM

The city of Montpellier has a population of about 250,000 but forms part of a conurbation of nearly 500,000. With this background, and an expectation of a rapidly increasing population over the next twenty years, it is not surprising that Montpellier has sought to equip itself with a modern transport system.

TRAMWAY ROUTE

The route starts in the western outskirts of the city in the La Paillade district, an area of high-rise social housing. The terminus is situated adjacent to the Stade de la Mosson, home of the Montpellier-Hérault football club and serves two stops in the estate including St Paul, which is adjacent to the depot. This part of the route has been complete for some time, which enabled test running of cars.

The route then takes a south-easterly direction to pass the principal university campuses and hospitals. Taking a course to the east of the medieval city centre, the route then reaches the central Place de la Comédie running along new right-of-way created alongside the SNCF main railway line. From the Place de la Comédie the line runs south to the railway station and then crosses the SNCF line to reach newly constructed office and residential developments at Antigone, Port-Marianne and Millénaire.

TRAMCARS

During the course of the project 28 ALSTOM Citadis 301-series double-ended 75% low-floor cars were built at Aytré (La Rochelle). Each car is 29.82 metres long and 2.65 metres wide. The cars are 3.27 metres in height with a tare weight of 37.9 tonnes. The floors have been designed to be close to the ground for easy access to wheelchair users, and are 350mm/600mm high. Each car can reach speeds of up to 70kph and have the capacity to hold up to 64 seated and 141 standing passengers.

The "swallow tram," as it came to be called cost the equivalent of $400 million, and began service in the year 2000. It is the first of the modern modular Citadis series pioneered by ALSTOM. The flexible design allows for expansion from 30 metres (98 feet) to 40 metres (131 feet) in length with the addition of a middle section, depending on passenger demand.

The overall cost of the project, including the building of the rail route, is estimated to be in the region of FFr 2.3 billion ($317 million).

FUTURE PLANS

Two more lines are planned with a view to having them operational in 2003 (Line 2) and 2007 (Line 3). Possible further extensions to these routes are also being looked at. These are still very uncertain as they serve quite rural areas and communes, some of which are not all that keen to join with Montpellier in an overall transport/planning syndicate for fear of the effect on their local tax burden. Referenda were held in some of these communes early in 2000 on this subject.