PARIS public transport operator RATP, French National Railways (SNCF) and Île-de-France Mobility have awarded Alstom a 12-year framework contract worth almost €300m to equip RER lines B and D with NExTEO CBTC.
“With this new contract, Alstom will equip a total of 350 trains and 100km of these two RER lines, which are among the busiest in the Île-de-France region,” says Mr Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, president of Alstom France.
The key objective is to improve the reliability of train operation in the shared double-track tunnel between Gare du Nord and Châtelet-Les Halles stations in the centre of Paris. When CBTC has been installed it is hoped to increase the number of trains per hour on this section from 27 to 32 on a regular basis. The system will allow attended operation at Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2).
CBTC will also provide simultaneous control of the operating and interoperability rules that apply on the SNCF and RATP networks. This particularly applies to RER Line B which is operated by RATP south of Gare du Nord and by SNCF to the north.
A funding agreement was reached recently whereby the Île-de-France region will fund 70% of the €967m cost of the fixed infrastructure work and the national government the remaining 30%. SNCF and RATP will also contribute €35m to the project, while Île-de-France Mobility will finance the installation of onboard equipment.
