Le Havre tramway
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Tram in the city centre of Le Havre | |||
| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Native name | Tramway du Havre | ||
| Locale | Le Havre, Upper Normandy, France | ||
| Transit type | Tram | ||
| Number of lines | 2 | ||
| Number of stations | 23 | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 12 December 2012 | ||
| Number of vehicles | 22 Alstom Citatdis 302 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 13 km (8.1 mi) | ||
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Le Havre tramway (French: Tramway du Havre) is a modern two-line tram system in the city of Le Havre in Upper Normandy, France. The modern tramway opened on 12 December 2012.
Le Havre also had a first-generation tramway that was operated by Compagnie des Tramways Électriques du Havre, and which opened in 1894. This historical tramway closed in 1957, and was replaced by trolleybuses as the main mode of public transport in Le Havre.
Network
On 12 December 2012, a new tram network with two tramlines opened. It will link the low city ville basse to the districts of Mont-Gaillard and Caucriauville in the upper city ville haute.
Rolling stock
The rolling stock will comprise 22 Alstom Citatdis 302 tram cars.
History
Le Havre's original tramway
It is in 1832 that the first organised collective service began. An omnibus service between the Musée and the Octroi de Rouen (Boulevard de Graville). By 1860, the town was served by two lines.
In 1872, a Belgian businessman presented a tramway project to the municipal council. After authorisation was given, construction began with the first horse-drawn tramway opening on 1 February 1874 between Musée and the Barrière d’Or (Octroi de Rouen). A second line opened on the 15th of the same month between the town hall and the Rond-Point. Le Havre was the fourth city in France to possess a tramway network after Paris, Lille and Nancy.
The network of lines spread over the city of Le Havre and its neighbouring suburbs. The tramway lines all led to Le Havre Station and the town hall.
The company operated a fleet of single car trams.
Operations were severely disrupted after the bombardments of 1944, but the 7 lines were reopened as soon as the end of 1946.
Trolleybuses in Le Havre
On 1 August 1947, line 8 (Gare - Hallates) closed to let trolleybus takeover. On 5 May 1951, line 6 (Gare - Bléville), then on 14 August 1957 line 5 (Gare - La Hêtraie) were also converted to trolleybus operation.
Secondhand Vétra CS60 and new VBRh formed the bulk of the trolleybus network. In 1960, four Chausson-Vétra APV trolleybuses were introduced. In the following years, the CGFT acquired more rolling stock from other networks, in Marseille and Strasbourg.
Closing of Le Havre's original system
In Le Havre as well as in cities across France, increase in car transport encouraged Le Havre city council to set up one-way streets. The tramway and trolleybus operator was faced with a large bill to extend its network further into the suburbs and so decided to replace all its overhead vehicles with motor buses on 28 December 1970.
See also
External links
Media related to Le Havre tramway at Wikimedia Commons
- Le réseau de transport en commun de l'agglomération havtaise (Tranport LIA) – official website
- Trolleybuses of Le Havre
- History of Le Havre (incl. trolleybuses)
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