Regulatory News:
Nottingham City Council has awarded on 15 December a €680 million (£570
million) contract to the Tramlink Nottingham consortium to construct and
operate two new tram lines, expanding the existing network by 17.5 km.
The consortium includes Alstom (Paris:ALO), VINCI Investments (a UK
subsidiary of VINCI PLC), Keolis and Wellglade (owners of local bus
operator Trent Barton) and Meridiam and OFI Infravia as financial
investors. As part of the contract, Tramlink Nottingham will also take
over responsibility for the operation of the existing Nottingham Express
Transit (NET) Line One which has been open since 2004, for the 23-year
concession granted to the consortium.
Alstom’s share of the contract is worth around €350 million, including
€120 million for maintenance.
Alstom will draw on its worldwide
expertise in infrastructure and turnkey projects for the construction of
the new track, power, signalling and the supply and maintenance of 22
Citadis trams as well as the maintenance of the existing 15 Line One
trams over the 23-year period.
This project will represent a major expansion of Nottingham’s tram
system. When complete in 2014, the system will serve the largest
employers in Greater Nottingham. The extension project (known as NET
Phase Two)
will be funded jointly by Nottingham City Council
(circa 34%) and the British Government (circa 66%).
Henri Poupart-Lafarge, President of Alstom Transport, said : "We look
forward to bringing together both Alstom’s international and local
experience in the delivery of infrastructure, new trams
and
maintenance, and to help build this project for the city of Nottingham.
This contract proves again the success of our Citadis tramway range
which 37 cities throughout the world have selected to fulfil their
public transport needs”.
Roger Harrison, Chairman of the Tramlink Nottingham consortium, said: "We
are delighted to be working with the City Council to help bring to
fruition Nottingham’s ambitious public transport plans. We have put
together an extremely strong, world-class partnership and we are
confident of being able to create a network which will not only be
efficient and effective in terms of meeting the city’s transport needs
but which will also help to take Nottingham’s international status to a
new level.”
