THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHT RAIL MAGAZINE www.lrta.org www.tautonline.com MARCH 2021 NO. 999 LUND: LIGHT RAIL FOR A SMALL CITY Sweden’s newest tramway, where science meets sustainability Istanbul’s new wire-free coastal tram Alstom: ‘UK needs GBP10bn LRT plan’ Reggio Emilia to build 14.5km tramline Keolis interview South Yorkshire £4.70 ‘New tram schemes UK pioneer’s plan for can’t take ten years’ growth and renewal LUND: A NEW MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY Per Gunnar Andersson describes in detail the background to the development of Sweden’s newest tramway – a long-term investment in the city’s future. n 13 December 2020, the modern from the railway station passing the hospital, Based on this pre-study, an agreement was tramway in the Swedish city technical university, Ideon science park and signed in January 1999 with both bus and light of Lund opened for passenger a planned new town, ending in the village of rail solutions forming part of a longer-term service on a 5.2km (3.2-mile) Dalby around 10km (6.2 miles) to the east. strategic plan. Building the busway brought route from Lund C (the city’s Although at that time the city was talking a number of challenges, including the Ocentral railway station) to ESS (European about light rail, regional public transport dismantling of the former hospital kitchen, Spallation Source). A large folk festival had authority Malmöhus Trafik favoured BRT construction of a new road underpass, been planned for the day before, however the (bus rapid transit). To find a solution, a relocation of sub-surface utility pipes and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic brought an end co-operative group was formed in 1995 and cables, and the installation of 4km (2.5 miles) to these plans. Instead, the inauguration was at the same time the city’s Urban Planning of new busway itself. Four years later, on moved online and an event pre-recorded on Director Anders Tingvar came up with the 23 January 2003, the service was inaugurated. 27 November was broadcast at 11.00 on name Lundalänken – the Lund link. This led 12 December (this is available online to a 1996 pre-study which recommended From BRT to LRT (in Swedish) at www.youtube.com/ the creation of a busway to a design that Moving forward a decade, the main driver watch?v=4HkK0vHPxTo). promoted enhancement to a future light rail for conversion to light rail is the continued Sweden’s last new tramway – in Karlskrona, service, from Lund C to the expanding growth in the north-east of the city: the approximately 185km (115 miles) to the east north-eastern suburb of Brunnshög. tramway was seen as a part of the urban – opened almost exactly 110 years earlier, carrying its first passengers on 21 December 1910. This short 3.5km (2.2-mile) line closed on 15 May 1949, although two-axle car 13 survives in preservation at Sweden’s local transport museum (Museispårvägen Malmköping). Lund, with a population of 94 000, therefore becomes Sweden’s fourth tramway city, following Stockholm (1877), Göteborg (1879), and Norrköping (1904). The first tram, car 03, departed from the northern ESS terminus at 06.13, carrying around 70 passengers on the inaugural service. This exciting day marked the final chapter ABOVE LEFT: The Lundalänken bus route that was the precursor to tram service to ESS on 8 December 2016. of a story that started in the late 1980s when The following day the Lundalänken closed as a busway in preparation for rebuilding as a tramway. the city’s masterplan included an LRT corridor ABOVE RIGHT: Four years later, CAF Urbos 02 (Åsa-Hanna) in the hospital area on 18 December 2020. 96 / MARCH 2021 www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org www.steconfer.com Lund LUND: A NEW MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY ABOVE: The tramway passes through the former hospital kitchen, dismantled in 2002 for construction of the Lundalänken busway. LEFT: Car 03 (Blåtand) approaches the northern ABOVE: The first service tram, Blåtand (03), departs ESS terminus, with the from the ESS terminus at 06.13 on 13 December 2020. research facility in the background to the left All images by the author, unless otherwise stated. and the new tram depot to the upper right. In the development and not a barrier to it. To this coming years the green end, in 2006 the first Brunnshög masterplan space on either side was adopted and a year later the Swedish of the tramline will be Government entered the competitive process occupied by further to bring the prestigious European Spallation development. Source (ESS) research facility to Lund. This unique materials evaluation facility is a Pan-European programme, with an estimated cost of EUR1.83bn (2013 figures). When the first study programmes begin in 2023, it is ROCKDELTA: MANAGING NOISE AND VIBRATION estimated that two to three thousand visiting scientists will arrive each year to perform The world is moving towards a future in which 80% experiments; full completion of the site is of the population will be living in urban environments. planned for 2025. Beating competing bids The resulting increase in rail traffic brings the potential from other European cites, in May 2009 Lund of more noise and ground-borne vibrations, causing was chosen as the future site of the ESS. stress for people and damage to buildings and other In addition to serving these key academic structures. That is why as communities consider and research establishments, the new new rail projects, they are looking for more effective solutions to control vibrations, reduce maintenance and tramway is also envisaged as a regional prolong the life of track components. In that future you investment in sustainable growth, creating can make a difference with Rockdelta stone wool mats. the conditions for – and playing a key part The use of stone wool for vibration control may of – a climate-smart and attractive urban seem relatively new or even counterintuitive. development. Its implementation is therefore However, it has been successfully used on railways in not in itself a goal, but rather a means to an some of the harshest conditions in Scandinavia since end for a municipality focused on sustainable the early 1970s. Rockdelta stone wool mats are backed by over 80 years of production experience and development based upon major infrastructure over 43 years of expertise in vibration control. Vibration attenuation is achieved by decoupling the track projects; this includes the provision of from the surrounding environment using Rockdelta as a resilient mat – today, stone wool is the preferred high-quality, environmentally-friendly solution for track vibration control and structure protection in Scandinavia and many other countries across the globe. public transport. Rockdelta’s solution isolates the track to protect nearby structures The tramway’s route runs from Lund C from ground-borne vibrations generated by all forms of rail system: via the hospital, university, the Ideon and tramway, light rail, subway, metro, main line and high-speed lines. Medicon Village area, Brunnshög – Lund’s Find out more at: www.lapinus.com/tracks only major growth area – the research facilities www.tautonline.com . www.lrta.org march 2021 / 97 Lund www.steconfer.com MAX IV and ESS and the research-based Science The first steps toward a tramway Trams in SKÅne - SPIS Village. It incorporates the former Lundalänken Following a study in 2011, the city began the busway with short extensions at each end. work required to create the six detailed legal To enable prioritisation of the tramway plans Experience from modern tramway plans required to make its tramway a reality in Skåne (both urban and regional), a 2007 installations elsewhere is that they are suited in early 2012. These plans were ready for study concluded that the proposed city lines in to integration with well-designed spaces and public consultation in May 2014, with the last Malmö, Helsingborg and Lund should be given the incorporation of around 40 000m2 of approved in November 2015. precedence. It was therefore natural to co-ordinate all three cities in 2012 under a grass track adds a valuable green element to Concurrently, in 2015 the Swedish common platform. The new body – ‘SPIS – the street space. The higher comfort levels Government introduced a new form of financial Spårvagnar i Skåne’ (Trams in Skåne) received and quality of the travel experience is also support for the development of sustainable a SEK27m (EUR2.7m) contribution from the expected to attract more public transport cities. Lund was one of the first to apply European Investment Bank for its studies. users, importantly those who currently use a and on 17 December 2015 the city received SPIS subsequently created a knowledge bank car as their primary mode of travel. confirmation of 40% (SEK298m/EUR30m) of and several reports concerning design and For the city, development along the tram the estimated tramway construction costs. technical guidelines, arranging study trips to corridor is also of great strategic importance: The same day, the City Council authorised Germany, Switzerland, the UK, France, and 30% of the expected growth over the next works to begin. This was a historic day, and Norway. The French tramway concept was identified as the main vision early on and several three decades is planned along the tramway, the goal of starting operations in late 2018 or visits were made to Le Mans; a combination of with a projected 40 000 new residents and early 2019 was set. Pre-qualification tenders quality design and high levels of safety was the workplaces. Positive effects have already been were published a week later, calling for bids to main objective and Le Mans therefore served as seen, in turn improving the conditions for construct 5.5km (3.4 miles) of tracks and the the archetype for the future tramways in Skåne.