Alstom has been selected as preferred bidder by Lille Métropole to modernise Line 1 of the city’s metro.

With a value of more than €250 million, the project provides for the supply of an integrated system which includes an automatic driver system and 27 rubber-tyred metro trainsets in order to address the expected increase in traffic over the next few years. After the signing of the contract, contemplated in June, it will start mid-2012 for a completion in 2017.

The automatic trainsets from Alstom’s Metropolis range will be doubled in length in comparison to the existing fleet and will be able to carry up to 545 people. Their design will offer passengers a more comfortable ride, thanks particularly to the absence of partitions between each car.  The interior design will create a warm, bright environment with larger windows. Passenger information will be improved by electronic display units and multimedia screens. Spaces will be dedicated to people with reduced mobility.  A system of video cameras transmitting images in real time to the control centre will strengthen the security of passengers on-board the metro and on the station platforms.  Urbalis signalling system control equipment will replace the current system.

The modernisation of Line 1 will allow transport capacity to be doubled.  It will also lead to a reduction in energy consumption of 20%.  The new system will be less costly to maintain and more flexible to run.  It is scheduled to come into service progressively from 2015 and this will be carried out without disturbing line operation.

« After many cities in Asia, South America and Europe, Lille’s choice of Alstom’s automatic metro system is a great source of satisfaction for us.  It shows the dynamism and industrial know-how of the French rail sector », declared Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom Transport President.

The Alstom rubber-tyred metros are designed and produced in the company’s site of Valenciennes, in Northern France. Six other Alstom Transport sites in France are also involved in this project:  Saint-Ouen, Reichshoffen, Ornans, Le Creusot, Villeurbanne and Tarbes.