Smart Growth Resource Library

Tram-Train Technology in Europe

This June 2009 report from the CityMayors website states that interest in deploying the tram-trains concept is growing across Europe. As governments grapple with the challenges of beating congestion while also cutting carbon emissions, the trams-trains approach is attractive. By combining heavy rail routes with tramways, passengers have access to key destinations in city centers from suburbs without making a change -- thus attracting people who previously used cars and cutting congestion and emissions.

Germany pioneered the utilization of combining heavy rail and street running fixed link systems, but in the last few years there has also been an upsurge of interest elsewhere. Several schemes are in the construction phase in France and a trial is underway in the UK.

The trial in the UK is being jointly managed by the Ministry of Transport, rail infrastructure owner Network Rail and train operations franchisee Northern Rail. Northern Rail is jointly owned by Serco and NedRail. According to Northern Rail Chief Executive Heidi Mottram, ''The trial is being conducted in a way which can provide the learning for planning and delivering reliably on schemes anywhere in the UK. The tram train product has generated a lot of passenger growth in Germany and seems to be able to get people out of their cars. For the crowded UK network, its introduction could also free up scarce capacity at the major stations.''

Read more at the resource link below.

Resource: http://www.citymayors.com/transport/trams-europe.html

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