The council says the project will be implemented as an alliance and the contractor will design and build the infrastructure in collaboration with the city. The closing date for expressions of interest is January 9 2015 and tender negotiations are due to begin in the spring with three to five shortlisted candidates.
The network will comprise two lines. Line A will link Lentävänniemi in the north to the city centre and Hervanta in the south, while Line B will run east from an interchange with Line A at Pyyniktori in the city centre to Tampere University Hospital (TAYS).
Construction will be implemented in three phases – Lentävänniemi – city centre (8km), city centre Hervanta (12km) and city centre – TAYS (5km) – although implementation and phasing of construction will be planned in more detail by the alliance.
The total cost of infrastructure for the project including a depot at Hervanta, fare collection and passenger information systems is €245m, around 30% of which is expected to come from the Finnish government. The construction contract will include an option for infrastructure maintenance.
A separate tender will be issued for a contract to supply rolling stock. A fleet of 23 low-floor LRVs will be required and the vehicles will be 30-33m long and 2.65m wide.
Services will operate between 05.30 and 02.00 on weekdays with a peak frequency of 7.5 minutes and the network is expected carry around 47,700 passengers per day or 13.2 million per year by 2030.
The city council expects to conclude planning for the project in 2016.
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