Reims tramway

The tram Reims (French Tramway de Reims ) is a tramway system in the French city of Reims, which has been in operation since 16 April 2011. After three years of construction, a good 11 km long tram network went into operation, operate on the two lines.

A meter gauge tram reversed from 1881 to 1939; it arose from the existing since 1872 horses buses.

Horse Bus and tram to 1939

In June of 1872, the first two lines of the horse bus network have been put into operation. A year later added a third line. In 1875, the Conseil Municipal decided to modernize the network and to build a standard gauge tramway, which has a total of four lines. Construction began in 1878 and the commissioning of the first three kilometers in 1881 took place. In 1899, again took place renovation work, the network was umgespurt and electrified on meter gauge. The first electric railways drove in June 1900. The network promoted shortly before the First World War, 10 million passengers to six lines.

During the First World War, the network has been completely destroyed, it was, until 1920, largely rebuilt. In the 1920s, modernized the " Compagnie des tramways de Reims " the vehicles and the network was expanded. In 1937 the city decided to shut down the tram network and switch to bus operation. Until November 1939 all lines were shut down.

Planning history

The then mayor of Reims Jean Falala stopped undeveloped in 1991, elaborated since 1984 project to build a tram, which was met with considerable resistance of retailers in the city center. Falalas successor, Jean -Louis Schneiter, reached in October 2003, the plans again: After a period of voting by political bodies and authorities, the project between September 2004 and January 2005, the population was presented. It became clear that the construction of the tram still met with considerable reservations of retailers, conservative parties and the union of the bus driver. The union feared given the higher capacity of trams a reduction of jobs. Nevertheless, the council met on 28 February 2005 a decision of principle for the construction of the tram. In the local elections of 2008, the proponents of the tram were able to prevail under the new Mayor Adeline Hazan.

To finance the tram had been set up in April 2005, the transport control Versement transport of 1.0 to 1.8%. On 10 October 2006, the contract with the consortium Mobility to agglomà Rémoise (MARS ) was signed. MARS is responsible for the financing, construction planning, construction and the operation of the tramway system in 2041; In addition, the consortium took over in January 2008, the bus service in Reims. Main shareholder of MARS are the rail vehicle manufacturer Alstom ( 17%), the transport company Transdev ( 17%) and the state financial institution Caisse des Dépôts (30 %). Due to the formation of the consortium, in which the participating companies are responsible for the maintenance of self-constructed assets, conflicts between building contractors and operated companies should be reduced. The new organizational model for France, was applied in a similar form in Rhônexpress, the airport train in Lyon. Authority for local transport is the Local Government Association, Reims Métropole, who is responsible for the tariff policy, the decision on expansion projects and the control of MARS.

On 13 February 2008, the determination of public benefit was ( déclaration d' utilité publique (DUP )), which is comparable to the zoning decision of the German planning law before. Precautionary archaeological investigations in the area of ​​the planned route had started in July 2007; the actual construction work started on March 31, 2008.

Route network

Opened 16 April 2011 tram network as a whole is 11.2 km long and consists of a north- south route, which crosses the city center and a branch line to Bezannes TGV station. Starting point in the north is the district Orgeval, then the route leads through the shopping street Avenue de Laon. Stops are the business center ready to live in and the train station before the city center is crossed. The route passes directly Reims Cathedral. After crossing the river Vesle and the Canal de l' Aisne à la Marne are further stops the Comédie de Reims, the Léo -Lagrange City Park and the Auguste Delaune Stadium. Another stop there at a large private hospital. Finally, the web, the Croix- Rouge district reached with its 20,000 inhabitants and the university. The last stop is in front of the Regional Hospital.

Opened the branch line to the 2007 TGV station Bezannes is partly single track; with the construction of the second track were prepared. The route runs mostly through undeveloped area to the urban development of the tram to contribute. A total of 23 stations were established; in their catchment area 70,500 people live and there are 26,500 jobs.

In the city center of Reims, the tram runs on 1.9 kilometers without catenary, instead the power supply via a power rail to the APS system is done: In order not to endanger passers-by, the power rail is only energized when the stretch of trams is traversed. The power supply without catenary called for in the tender, so as not to endanger the cityscape in the Cathedral of Reims, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

As with many French tram projects the construction of the tram for urban planning measures were also used in Reims. This has so far used by motor vehicles road surfaces in favor of the use by pedestrians and cyclists has been redesigned. Another objective of the measures was the upgrading of urban neighborhoods. At the main station a road tunnel, causing the station forecourt could be increased and accounted for connecting passengers roadway crossings originated. Overall, a third of investment in physical measures were about spent.

Vehicles, depot and Timetable

The fleet consists of 18 Citadis 302 railcars. The first train was delivered on 26 March 2010 in Reims; From October 2010, the entire route network for test drives was used. The Citadis railcars are 32.4 meters long, 2.4 meters wide and can carry up to 205 passengers. The trains were designed by Swiss designer Ruedi Baur. The front end resembles a champagne glass; each train was painted in one of the eight selected in September 2005 color. About the color scheme for the tramcars and the design of the vehicle heads the citizens could vote. Stops and workshops allow the extension of the rail car 44 meters.

The tram depot Bezannes was built near the junction of the line to the TGV station. The depot also the workshop and the operations control center were built. If necessary, the Storage capacity of the depot can be extended to 40 railcars.

The tram network is traversed by the lines A and B 5:30 to 12:30 clock. The line A serves the north-south route; it is traveled per day 133 times at a clock between six and 18 minutes. The line B connects the railway station with the Bezannes TGV station; the Roadmap provides 38 trips a day before at a clock period of 18 to 30 minutes, where the rides are tailored to the schedule of the TGV. Since 29 September 2011, all rides the line B are extended beyond the main station addition to the northern terminus of the line A Neufchatel.

Overall, the tram and the accompanying urban renewal project was invested 338 million euros for the construction; 75 million euros were traded on planning and financing costs and the acquisition of existing bus operation. The consortium MARS contributed about 60 % of the total cost; it is refinanced by operating revenue and payments of task support. 45,000 passengers are expected per day.

The 2011 went into operation tram routes open up one-third of the jobs and homes of the urban area of Reims. Concrete expansion plans were not in operation opening; the development of which operating experience should be taken into account.