Tramway de Bordeaux
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The Bordeaux tramway network consists of three lines serving the capital of the Aquitaine Region in southwestern France. The power supply, which uses a ground-level power supply of the Alimentation par Sol (APS) system, was opened on 21 December 2003. It is operated by Tram et Bus de la CUB (TBC).
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[edit] History
Bordeaux had had a tramway system before. In 1946, there were 38 lines, more than 200 km of tracks, partially equipped with conduit current collection, and 160,000 users. However, mayor Jacques Chaban-Delmas (first elected in 1947) embraced the arguments of a powerful anti-tram-lobby and the lines were closed one after another, until services on the last remaining route were withdrawn in 1958.
By the 1970s the failure of the "all car" transport policy had become obvious, but Chaban was not prepared to backtrack. A grandiose automatic light underground railway (VAL) scheme was promoted; it even received the backing of a majority of the city's councillors, but fell victim in the end not just to the fierce opposition of the local transport users' association TRANSCUB but to the hard reality of the fine sandy nature of the city's soil. The VAL idea was dropped. Chaban remained.
Bordeaux had to wait until 1995 and the election of Alain Juppé as mayor – as well as the total strangulation of the city by its transport problems – before the situation was tackled. Following two years of studies, the Bordeaux Urban Community adopted the tramway plan in 1997. Recognized by the central government in 2000 as a Public Interest Project, the scheme got under way and by 21 December 2003 was carrying passengers on three routes, one of which was extended on 25 September 2005, with further extensions opening in 2007 and more to come in 2008.
[edit] The system today
A particular feature of the new Bordeaux tram network is its ground-level power supply system. This was the source of many difficulties and breakdowns when first introduced. Improvements since then, however, have increased reliability and the network is now one of Bordeaux's principal plus points, valued not just for enabling the people of the city to get about easily but also for its contribution to the aesthetics of the city and its quality of life. The new trams are an essential part of Bordeaux's current tourist redynamization strategy. The three lines will be extended in 2007 to reach several housing estates as well as the suburb of Mérignac. The whole system is under video surveillance, with a camera installed inside each vehicle.
[edit] The network
As of December 2007, the network has a total route length of 43.3 km with 84 stops.
The first line (Line A) was opened on 21 December 2003 in the presence of President Jacques Chirac, and the mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé. It ran between Mériadeck and Lormont/Cenon. It was extended on 26 September 2005 to new termini at the Pellegrin Hospital and Saint-Augustin. Further extensions opened in 2007; from Cenon to Floriac on 27 February 2007; and from Saint-Augustin to Mérignac Centre on 21 June 2007. As of August 2007 a new extension from Lormont Lauriers to Carbon Blanc is under construction.
Line C was the next to open: on 24 April 2004, following delays.
Line B was partially opened on 15 May 2004 and throughout on 3 July 2004. 29 May 2007 saw the opening of the first phase of its 2007 extension of when it began to serve Pessac Centre at its western end. On 23 July 2007 a further extension of the line from its previous terminus at Quinconces, along the left bank of the Garonne, to a station at Bassins à Flot opened. The current final planned northern terminus of the line is at Cité Claveau, near to the Pont d'Aquitaine on the Bordeaux ring road.
The current routes of the three lines are:
- A - Mérignac Centre <-> Lormont Lauriers / Floriac Dravemont (17 km)
- B - Bassins à Flot <-> Pessac Centre (via the campus) (10.6 km)
- C - Les Aubiers <-> Terres Neuves (8,1 km)
Line A will be extended from Lormont to Carbon Blanc.
Line C will be extended from the Gare Saint-Jean to Bègles and from Grand Parc to Les Aubiers.
The overall system sees some 300,000 passenger journeys daily, 165,000 on the Tram :
- 70,000 using Line A
- 70,000 using Line B
- 25,000 using Line C
On average, 45% of journeys on the combined bus and tram network of the TBC are by tram.
[edit] External links
- Official site of the Bordeaux bus and tramway network (in French)
- Official site of the users' group TRANSCUB (in French)
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