THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com JULY 2020 NO. 991 VIVE LA FRANCE! Paying tribute to the cities that pioneered modern LRT TfL rescue deal is just a ‘sticking plaster’ Tianshui opens China’s latest tramway UITP: ‘Bounce back relies on transport’ Rail masterclass Rotterdam £4.60 Why light rail track Adapting the role of doesn’t last forever... a big city tramway Certifi cate: PA05/04429 The design and implementation of urban Urban Transit light rail networks in busy towns and cities presents signifi cant engineering challenges. Innovation Whether it’s for pedestrian crossings, tram stops, depots or complex crossovers and Metro & Tramway Crossing Systemsturnouts, our engineered solid rubber panels help you overcome your challenges faster and Rethink more cost-effectively than other systems. Think Rosehill. For more information, call the Rosehill Rail sales team on +44 (0)1422 839 610. rosehillrail.com Rosehill Rail - TAUT Half page Ad_185x130mm_JULY2020.indd 1 04/06/2020 16:47 CONTENTS The official journal of the Light Rail 266 Transit Association JULY 2020 Vol. 83 No. 991 www.tautonline.com EDITORIAL EDITOR – Simon Johnston 253 [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOr – Tony Streeter [email protected] WORLDWIDE EDITOR – Michael Taplin 257 [email protected] NewS EDITOr – John Symons [email protected] SenIOR CONTRIBUTOR – Neil Pulling WORLDWIDE CONTRIBUTORS Richard Felski, Ed Havens, Andrew Moglestue, Paul Nicholson, Herbert Pence, Mike Russell, Nikolai Semyonov, Alain Senut, Vic Simons, Witold Urbanowicz, Bill Vigrass, Francis Wagner, Thomas Wagner, Philip Webb, Rick Wilson PRODUCTION – Lanna Blyth NEWS 252 systems factfile: ROTTERDAM 274 Tel: +44 (0)1733 367604 TfL agrees emergency rescue funds; Tianshui Neil Pulling explores the changing role of [email protected] tramway opens; New face mask rules for trams in the Netherlands’ second city. DESIGN – Debbie Nolan public transport; USD891m agreed for ADVertiSING 12 US schemes; UITP projects EUR40bn WORLDWIDE REVIEW 279 COMMERCIAL ManageR – Geoff Butler COVID-19 losses for European operators. Urban rail operators cautiously return to a Tel: +44 (0)1733 367610 ‘new normal’; Metro openings in Ningbo [email protected] THE NEW PATH FOR TRANSIT 257 and Shenyang; Passenger services begin PUBLISheR – Matt Johnston Morgan Lyons looks at some of the potential in Cuenca; Turku reconsiders LRT plans; Tramways & Urban Transit longer-term effects of the global pandemic. New München coalition reveals ambitious 13 Orton Enterprise Centre, Bakewell Road, tramway expansion plans; Work restarts on Peterborough PE2 6XU, UK WHY RAILS DON’T LAST FOREVER... 260 Edinburgh’s Newhaven extension; Orange Tramways & Urban Transit is published by Mainspring Daniel Pyke describes some of the ways that County appoints future streetcar operator. on behalf of the LRTA on the third Friday of each rails degrade, offering a few pointers on how to extend the life of this key asset. MAILBOX 283 Your views on Tramlink – a great success, THE FRENCH TRAM PHENOMENON 266 but why is it still London’s only tramway? month preceding the cover date. Michael Taplin begins a detailed two-part PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION exploration of the circumstances that have CLASSICS TRAMS: LEIPZIG 284 Warners (Midlands), Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK driven light rail development in France, as Mike Russell continues his detailed survey well as the key milestones. of the collection in the Leipzig museum. LRTA MEMBERSHIP (with TAUT subscription) Tramways & Urban Transit is sent free to all paid-up members of the Light Rail Transit Association. Strong leaders required as we seek to #BuildBackBetter LRTA WEBSITE AND DIARY Brian Lomas Politics. It’s an inevitable part of life – and at its best, it can achieve some [email protected] [email protected] amazing and inspiring results. Over the past few months we’ve seen hospitals built in weeks, trillions handed out in support for businesses and individuals, SuBSCriPtioNS, MEMBERSHIP AND BACK ISSueS LRTA Membership Secretary (Dept T06), 38 Wolseley and countries coming together to develop possible vaccines. Road, Sale M33 7AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)117 951 7785 That shows what can happen with consensus. There is, too, increasing [email protected] Website: www.lrta.info cross-party agreement that public transport is a truly vital service that benefits us all. That is the good side. While political debate, and even conflict, is an essential and FOR CORPORATE SuBSCriPtioNS VISIT www.mainspring.co.uk healthy part of any free and open society, in recent weeks there have been instances where that’s taken place to the detriment of both systems and the travelling public. LRTA REGISTERED OFFICE For example, a deal to provide emergency funding for Transport for London was only 8 Berwick Place, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL7 4TU, UK. Private company limited by guarantee, No. 5072319 agreed at the eleventh hour and at the time of going to press Scotland’s networks were still in England and Wales. waiting to see whether they would receive crucial additional operating funding as their LRTA ChaIRMAN – Paul Rowen ridership has stayed at home. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called the deal for the UK [email protected] capital a “sticking plaster” (see page 252). Whatever the arguments on either side, sticking © LRTA 2020 plasters do not allow for good planning – and quite possibly not good outcomes either. Articles are submitted on the understanding they may also Moving just across the English Channel, we focus this issue on a country where later be used on our websites or other media. A contribution transport politics has had a hugely beneficial effect on society: France. Strong mayors, local is accepted on the basis that its author is responsible for the participation and a system that rewards timely delivery of schemes have brought about a opinions expressed in it, and such opinions are not those of light rail revolution that over the last 35 years has become a template for many others. the LRTA or Mainspring. All rights reserved. This debate is particularly pertinent right now. As the world continues to struggle with No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in the visceral and immediate demands of the pandemic, people are increasingly asking any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and what life will look like afterwards. Not just looking, but seeking to find silver linings to retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from make societies more sustainable. The campaign even has a name: #BuildBackBetter. the copyright owner. Multiple copying of the contents of the In the EU those ideas come with cash attached under a ‘Green Deal’ as politicians magazine without prior written approval is not permitted. strive to create the world’s first climate-neutral continent. Such concepts are gaining COVER: The city of Nantes launched France’s first momentum elsewhere, too – and prosperous cities, with light rail centre stage, must be modern light rail service in 1985; many more followed at the heart of this. Politics that truly deliver would be a start. Simon Johnston, Editor its example over the next 35 years. Neil Pulling www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org JULY 2020 / 251 News Late-hour deal keeps London moving Mayor warns that emergency funding package is a ‘sticking plaster’ amid GBP3bn shortfall n 14 May, the UK money by the end of the day. years, and with fares revenue model, which will involve Government agreed a “Being blunt, today is the last down “there simply isn’t enough either permanent funding from grant of GBP1.095bn day,” he said. money coming in to pay for our government or giving London (EUR1.22bn) and a A London COVID-19 taskforce services”, adding that “over the more control over key taxes so Oloan of GBP505m (EUR561.6m) with Government and TfL next few months we will have we can pay for it ourselves – or a from the Public Works Loan representatives will oversee to negotiate a new funding combination of both.” Board to support Transport for operational decisions during London (TfL) operations until the crisis, promoting traffic 17 October. Backdated to 1 April, management and active travel. NEWS IN PICTURES the agreement requires TfL to There is also to be an “immediate restore services to normal levels and broad-ranging” review of to help passengers follow social the authority’s financial position distancing guidelines. and structure. Two Government Bus fares will be reinstated and representatives will be allocated an increased congestion charge to TfL’s board, its finance introduced for driving into committee and its programmes the centre of the capital; both and investment committee. had been suspended in March. Since travel restrictions began Various forms of peak-hour in mid-March, TfL has seen a concessionary travel and free 95% reduction in Underground travel for under-18s were to be journeys, an 85% fall in bus temporarily suspended from travel and a 90% drop in income. 15 June; special arrangements are As a result, it predicts a funding to be made for children eligible shortfall of around GBP3bn for free travel to school. (EUR3.34bn). Services increased on all The funding agreement New TfL Commissioner Andy Byford was dubbed ‘Train Daddy’ in New modes from 18 May including: includes the Mayor agreeing to York and gained a great deal of support for his regular presence on the city’s Docklands Light Railway (80% increase fares in 2021 by RPI+1%, transit network engaging with passengers. Marc A. Hermann / MTA of normal services, providing ending a four-year fares freeze. approximately ten-minute Describing the deal as a Byford confirmed as TfL Transport Commissioner headways); London Trams (95% “sticking plaster”, Mr Khan said: Andy Byford was confirmed as London’s new Transport Commissioner on of normal services with ten- “I want to be completely honest 27 May, replacing Mike Brown MVO who announced his move to oversee the renovation of the UK’s historic Houses of Parliament in 2019.