Alcatel today announced that it has been awarded a contract valued around Euro 450 million by Tube Lines, the company responsible for the upgrading and maintenance of segments of the London underground, to re-signal Jubilee and Northern Lines with SelTrac, its proven communications-based train control technology. This contract, which will last over the next seven and a half years, includes an option to re-signal also the Piccadilly Line, with design work starting in 2005.
Generic design work to enable both Jubilee and Northern Line schemes will start immediately. Alcatel`s signaling equipment installation should be implemented by 2009 in the Jubilee line and by 2011 in the Northern line. New equipment on both lines - comprising 63 trains, 27 stations on 37 km for the Jubilee Line and 106 trains, 50 stations on 58 km for the Northern line - will be installed and commissioned successively in sections before the old signaling system is disabled and removed.
Tube Lines recently announced their commitment to deliver an outstanding tube for London through a massive improvement program, it will invest millions on new signaling and trains over this time period. "Today`s announcement is tremendous news for the 900,000 people who every day rely on the Jubilee and Northern lines and who deserve a service that is reliable and efficient. This project will enable a 20% improvement to the capability of the Jubilee and Northern lines leading to a more frequent and less crowded service," said Tube Lines Chief Executive Terry Morgan.
"After winning the Jubilee Line system maintenance and the DLR London City Airport extension contracts this spring, we are proud to have been selected by Tube Lines for this important project and are confident that through this partnership, we will set new standards of excellence for re-signaling projects in the UK," said John Mills, Managing Director, Alcatel`s transport automation activities in UK.
Alcatel`s advanced SelTrac S40 train control system provides safe, reliable short headway between trains for improved throughput and passenger service. The technology is upgradeable and provides for greater operating and maintenance efficiency. As a reference, SelTrac has been chosen by more than 20 metro operators worldwide, such as NYCTA (New York), Docklands (London), Vancouver, RATP (Paris), KCRC and MTRC (Hong Kong), Guangzhou and Wuhan (China) and KNR (Korea).
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Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of the infrastructure on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines. London Underground is responsible for operating the Underground, for employing drivers and station staff, for ticketing and fares, and for the Tube`s safety regime. The Tube Lines consortium consists of Amey, Bechtel and Jarvis, and brings together some of the most experienced providers of business services with specialist skills in the rail industry, including track and signal renewals, plus project and operational management. They are providing some of the best project and operational managers from around the world to work on the modernisation of the tube system.
Alcatel
Alcatel provides end-to-end communications solutions, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver content to any type of user, anywhere in the world. Leveraging its long-term leadership in telecommunications network equipment as well as its expertise in applications and network services, Alcatel enables its customers to focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 16.5 billion in 2002, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.
Alcatel Transport Automation Solutions
Alcatel Transport Automation Solutions (TAS) is supplying worldwide train control, signaling, interlocking, control center and integrated rail communications technology. For Urban Rail Transit operators globally, Alcatel`s offering includes SelTrac, the world`s leading communications-based train control solution, NetTrac MT for central train management and supervision, and LockTrac, the world`s leading solid-state interlocking solution. For more information, visit Alcatel TAS on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com/tas.
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