Toulouse Metro

Infobox Public transit
name = Toulouse Metro


imagesize =
locale = Toulouse
transit_type = Rapid transit
began_operation = 1993
ended_operation =
system_length = km to mi|37.5|abbr=yes|precision=1
lines = 2
vehicles =
stations = 37
ridership =
track_gauge =
reporting marks =
operator =
owner =

The Toulouse Metro (Métro de Toulouse) serves the City of Toulouse, France. The city's public transport system was initially managed by "Société d'économie mixte des voyageurs de l'agglomération toulousa"ine (SEMVAT), which was a company that was 80% owned by local government bodies and 20% privately owned. It has been managed by "Tisséo Réseau Urbain", under the authority of the "Syndicat Mixte des Transports en Commun" (an authority established by various local government bodies) since 2003.

Technology

Lines A and B are automatic narrow gauge metro lines, which use VAL technology built by Matra, now part of Siemens Transportation Systems.

13 of the 18 stations on Line A are 52 metres long and can therefore handle four-car trains. Platform screen doors separate the platforms from the tracks and are synchronized with the doors of the trains. Therefore, each platform must be absolutely straight. Each two-car set can accommodate from 150 to 200 people.

The trains have rubber tyres and use a third rail 750V direct current electric supply. They can climb slopes of up to 7%, reach a top speed of approximately 60 km/h, and can operate on the line at a maximum frequency of 65 seconds.

A central control centre regulates the network and ensures its safety and can take control of trains remotely in the event of an incident or a breakdown.

Currently, two types of rollingstock are in circulation: VAL 206 and VAL 208. The name of the next station is announced before each stop and just after the departure from the preceding station. In VAL 208 trains, the name of the next station and its connections are shown in each car on a panel of LEDs.

Network

The Toulouse metro is currently composed of only two lines:
*Line A, "Basso-Cambo" - "Balma Gramont". It is mainly underground, but comprises some sections on viaducts.
*Line B, "Borderouge" - "Ramonville". On a North-South axis, entirely underground and which opened on 30 June, 2007.

History

* 1983 : City Council decides to create metro line a south-western/north-eastern axis.
* 1985 : the municipality decides to use VAL technology.
* 1987 : the project receives planning and environmental approvals.
* 1989 : beginning of work on Line A.
* 1993 : opening of Line A.
* 1997 : beginning of preliminary studies for the extension of Line A and the construction of Line B.
* 2001 : beginning of work on extension of Line A and construction of Line B.
* 2003 : (December) opening of the extension of line A.
* 2007 : (June 30) Opening of Line B, ("Borderouge" - "Ramonville").
* 2013 : southern extension of Line B to Labège Innopôle (connection with SNCF's "Innopôle" station).
* 2015 : northern extension of Line A to L'Union.

Lines

Line A

Line A comprises 18 stations on a 12.5 km route. It extends from the shopping centre of Balma through Toulouse with stations at "Marengo" (connecting with the main SNCF railway station), "Capitole", "Place Esquirol" and "University of Mirail". After its final station, "Basso-Cambo", is a carriage shed-workshop, which provides storage, maintenance and tests of the rollingstock for the whole of network. The Central Control Centre is also located at the garage-workshop.

Operating hours: 5:5am to midnight (0:42am Friday and Saturday).

In order to reduce costs, five of the 18 stations have short platforms. Long platforms are needed to use four-carriage trains instead of two in order to double the capacity of the line. As a result, 13 years after its opening the line is saturated - peak hour lasts longer and longer, and the opening of Line B (2007), Line E (2009) and various exclusive bus lanes will bring additional traffic flows on to Line A and suggests that the use of Line A will become increasingly uncomfortable. Fortunately it is intended to lengthen the platforms of all the short stations, but this will not occur before 2012 at best.

A 5 km northern extension to L'Union is also under study for 2015. The terminus station would be at "plaine des Monges".

Line B

This line has initially 20 stations on a 15 km route. It opened on June 30 2007. Car parks have been built at "Borderouge", and "Ramonville" stations. New bus stations have been built "Borderouge", "Université Paul Sabatier" and "Ramonville" stations.

In January 2006, the Mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc called for a fast decision on a southern extension of Line B. This extension would include 5 km of line on viaduct, with a crossing of the Canal du Midi and the A61 autoroute, four stations and would terminate at "Labège - Innopole". It would cost € 330 million and be opened in 2013.

Line C

This line is a kind of RER that joins the city of Colomiers to the west of Toulouse. It was opened just after the line A. Actually this line is just a section of the TER train line between Toulouse and Auch, going from the station Arènes to Colomiers. The TER line was adapted between these two stations, to follow the Metro ratebase. Frequencies were increased to 15 min in 2005 after doubling of the railway infrastructure.

Line E (Tramway)

The Tramway Line E will go from Beauzelle to Toulouse passing through Blagnac. It will have 18 stops :

- Arènes : Linked to the subways lines A and C. - Zénith - Cartoucherie - Casselardit - Purpan - Arênes Romaines - Ancely - Servanty - Guyenne - Pasteur - Relais - Marronniers - Patinoire - Grand Noble - Georges Brassens - Lycée - Beauzelle - Garossos

See also

* List of Toulouse metro stations
* List of rapid transit systems
* Rubber-tyred metro

External links

* [http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/tou/toulouse.htm Metro of Toulouse on UrbanRail.Net]
* [http://www.cityrailtransit.com/toulouse.htm The Toulouse rail transit network at CityRailTransit.com]
* [http://tisseo.fr Toulouse Public Transport Website]