The first Flexity tram for Gothenburg has been handed over by Bombardier Transport to Göteborgs Spårvägar, the city’s tram operator.
Under a contract, Bombardier will deliver 40 trams which will replace the old rolling stock fleet operating city’s 160 kilometre light rail transit system, which is the largest in Sweden.
“This is a very important milestone in the development of the public transport system in the city of Gothenburg. We have a very successful cooperation with Bombardier Transportation and Kiepe-Electric and we are looking forward to receiving the remaining trams,” Johan Henriksson, Project Manager at Göteborgs Spårvägar said.
The first Flexity tram for Gothenburg tram has undergone an extensive testing programme equivalent to around 8,000 km of service. Now the tests go into the next phase and will be run in scheduled traffic with passengers on board starting September 28. The vehicle will travel 20,000 km with passengers on board, before all tests are completed.
A second Flexity tram will start tests with passengers on board in November. Once the first two trams have been approved, the series delivery of the other 38 light rail vehicles can start.
“These new carriages are fresher, more accessible and have more space. Soon we will hopefully have even more carriages in place and it will be a big and necessary boost for tram traffic in Gothenburg,” said Peter Hermansson, the Chairman of the Board, Västtrafik, the public transport agency.
The Flexity LRVs include new features and design enhancements following focus groups with drivers, people with disabilities, maintenance staff and cleaning teams.
The LRVs are 33 metres long with a capacity of 220 passengers. They are able to run at a maximum speed of 70 km/h. They are made of recyclable materials and finished with water-soluble paints, making a valuable contribution to the environment.
The low-floor design will provide obstacle free access to all passengers and an electromechanical boarding device will assist passengers in wheelchairs. The functional areas are larger to make movement onboard easier for all passengers, and these larger spaces also make the tram interior easier to clean. Feedback from drivers has resulted in ergonomic improvements to the driver’s cab interior. Double glazing on all windows and doors will prevent condensation to safeguard visibility and transparency.
The vehicles are equipped with Flexx bogies combined with a propulsion system from Kiepe-Electric to increase energy efficiency and reduce maintenance costs for the operator and ensure a smooth and comfortable ride for passengers.
In 2016, Göteborgs Spårvägar awarded a consortium comprising Bombardier and Kiepe-Electric a contract for the delivery of 40 Flexity trams known as M33. The contract also includes an option for 60 additional new trams.
They are being built at Bombardier’s site in Bautzen, Germany. The new M33 fleet will gradually replace vehicles of the M28/29 series. The delivery of all trams is expected to be completed in 2022.
Recently, the Gothenburg authorities have signed a contract for the construction of a tram depot as part of the second phase of its development.
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