Centro opts for Spanish firm in £40m Metro replacement deal
TRANSPORT authority Centro has opted for a Spanish manufacturer in a £40m deal to build its replacement fleet of trams for the Midland Metro.
The body said its preferred bidder for the new multi-million pound contract was CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocariles).
Although the firm is based in Zaragoza it does have a UK operation and the new trams will be delivered through its Coventry operation.
The Spanish firm will supply up to 25 Urbos 3 trams and the order will replace the current 16-strong fleet of Ansaldobreda T69 trams, which were built in Italy.
The new trams will operate along the exiting Metro network, which is expected to grow in usage once the 0.8-mile extension between Snow Hill and New Street via Bull Street, Corporation Street, and Stephenson Street is open.
The new trams will start running from late 2014 on the current route from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton, with the Midland Metro extension from Birmingham Snow Hill to Birmingham New Street station coming on line in 2015.
The extension is expected to boost the West Midlands economy by £50m a year and create 1,300 new jobs. The new, bigger trams will also offer greater passenger capacity between Birmingham and the Black Country.
Geoff Inskip, chief executive of Centro said “This is an important milestone in the delivery of a world class integrated transport network.
“Linking the £600m investment New Street station with the Jewellery Quarter, and the Black Country will stimulate our local economy.”
Cllr Angus Adams, the chairman of Centro, said: “This has been an extremely rigorous tendering process and all the candidates have been of a very high standard.
“The new fleet must offer the best value for money with a tram design that offers robustness with a first-class journey experience for the passenger.”
CAF produces trams which operate on a number of worldwide systems as well as a wide range of railway rolling stock. It has recently supplied trains for the UK market, including the Class 332 trains for the Heathrow Express and 64 Class 333 trains for Northern Rail.
The Urbos 3 is a five section air-conditioned tram with a passenger capacity of approximately 200, compared to 156 on the current trams. Each has two dedicated spaces for wheelchair users. Each section will have passenger information and CCTV information.
