Contents

Contents
I The development of the Brussels metro 4
II Madrid
7
IIILisbon
9
IV Hamburg
11
V Milan
13
VI Lyons
16
VII Nuremberg
VIII Barcelona
IX The lessons that can be drawn
X Perspectives and conclusion for Brussels
18
20
22
25
9th Rendezvous with Progress - METROVISION
P-1
Ninth Rendezvous with Progress
Metrovision
In Brussels, like in many European cities, there is a generally
favourable context for the development of public transport:
mobility and sustainable development, quality of life in the city, and
environmental imperatives are all fundamental political objectives
that lend support in this direction.
The ambitions announced by the Brussels Capital
Region, specifically through its new IRIS 2 mobility
plan – are equally strong.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - METROVISION
All projections indicate that the growth in traffic
that has occurred on the public transport networks
in recent years will continue long-term. In order to
provide an efficient and adequate response to this
situation, public transport service must continue
to be improved and developed. As indicated by
the IRIS 2 plan, it is not a question of carrying out
such developments in the margins, but of making
investments commensurate with the ambitions,
in order to be prepared for the sharp increases in
traffic that we expect and hope to see.
P-2
Whilst the network of trams and – to a lesser
extent – the bus network, which are currently in
the process of being modernised, are managing
to successfully respond to the growth in traffic,
certain axes in Brussels are experiencing levels
that call for a more far-reaching solution. This
primarily concerns the districts within the inner
ring of Brussels, where the density of population,
employment and activity is higher and in which
the urban fabric affords less flexibility for creating
a surface network with sufficient capacity and
performance.
Furthermore, the Brussels metro line 1 is currently
a victim of its own success. Certain sections are
saturated at certain hours of the day, a situation
which is going to have to be addressed in the
future. The automation of the equipment appears
to be a promising solution as this should make it
possible to increase the frequency and therefore
the capacity on this axis.
What mode of transport did you use to get to this Rendezvous with Progress meeting?
The majority of the participants in the Métrovision meeting which was held at the Hôtel Métropole, in the
heart of Brussels, opted to come by metro (28%) closely followed by travel on foot (27%).
Bicycle 5%
4% Bus
28% Metro
Train 7%
Tram 14%
But will this be sufficient? It is difficult to say. The
very design of line 1 – with its two branches to the
east of the urban area – forms an obstacle to the
deployment of a service that can respond to the
needs of each of these branches. The solution of a
network developed on the principle of a single line
per axis would provide the operational flexibility
to better respond to the growing demand.
27% On foot
At this stage, numerous questions remain open to
discussion.
Is the development of the metro as such
indispensable?
How could it be built in a way that respects the
districts?
How can ambitious projects be financed?
What could be the impact of automation?
How could the urban network be developed in
relation to the services of other operators so
that customers could enjoy integrated service?
How to increase the sense of safety for users of
the underground network?
The ninth ‘Rendezvous with progress’ meeting
organised by the STIB (Société des Transports
Intercommunaux de Bruxelles) and the Brussels
Capital Region held on 1 April 2009, a few hours
after the startup of the new metro network
(connecting the Inner Ring and the inauguration of
four separate lines) provided interesting material
in a number of areas drawn from the experience of
projects carried out in various European cities.
The goal of sharing these experiences is to enable
the political decision-makers, technicians and
representatives of civil society to form an idea of
the key issues that must be taken into consideration
in order to make the ‘metro of the 21st century’
a success and to contribute in this way to the
objectives of sustainable mobility established by
the Brussels Capital Region.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - METROVISION
Car/taxi 14%
P-3
I
The development of the Brussels metro
1) A look back
On 20 September 1976, the Brussels metro was
inaugurated by King Baudouin. Since then, the
network has continuously grown.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The development of the Brussels metro
‘The station Beekkant was opened in 1981,’ explains
Luc Bioul, Director of the Business Unit Métro (BUM)
for the STIB and President of the Metro Operation
Committee for the UITP (Union Internationale des
Transports Publics). ‘Between 1981 and 1989, we
opened 25 metro stations. We also converted the
Inner Ring of the pre-metro (trams running through
the tunnels) to metro systems. That was in 1988.
In 1990, the Regionalisation was a key event in the
life of the Société des Transports Intercommunaux
de Bruxelles. The policy chosen at the time was to
preserve and develop the network of surface trams,
at the same time as opening seven additional metro
and pre-metro stations.’
P-4
In 2002, the government of the Brussels Capital
Region approved the ‘master plan metro’ developed
by the STIB for the period 2005-2010. This plan
involved connecting the loop of the Inner Ring
and involved an investment of 200 million euros
allocated specifically to the purchase of rolling
stock (15 boas) and the construction of a new
roundhouse and maintenance depot (Jacques
Brel).
Concretely, this urban mobility policy is an
investment on the order of 3% of the existing
‘metro’ holdings (or 6.5 billion euros at the time).
In short, it is a question of making efficient
investments, in order to enhance the profitability
of existing infrastructure.
In practice, this translates to:
ensible management of resources
S
Qualitative and quantitative development of
the infrastructure and rolling stock
Modernisation of the sales network
Better accessibility of the stations as well as
their renovation and increased attractiveness.
From a quantitative point of view, there is the
increased capacity of the metro line on the Inner
Ring. The trains running on this line were expanded
from two cars to three cars at night and later to
full trains. The increased frequency has also made
it possible to meet the objectives set. In 2000, there
was a 20 minute wait for the metro in the evening.
Since then, this has shortened from one train
every 10 minutes to even one every five minutes
on the common section. The consequences of
these measures are crystal clear: the service was
enhanced by 60% (in seats per kilometre). Today, 20
metro trains run in each direction on the common
section of line 1 at rush hour, so that one arrives
every 3 minutes. Between now and 2011, 24 metro
trains will be running in each direction on this
common segment which will allow the capacity of
the metro to be increased by 20 %.
High-frequency metro
In 2008, the use of the metro represented 47.59%
of all trips made on the STIB network and even 60%
of all trips, if one includes trips made on the premetro network.
But as emphasised by Luc Bioul, ‘There is little
point to any of this if the response does not follow
in terms of utilisation. The public has to play their
part. Thanks to our efforts, they have turned out
in force’. During the same period, the STIB actually
recorded an increase in clientele of no less than
73 %.
And the public enthusiasm for the metro looks far
from slackening. ‘From the 159 million trips made in
1999, we grew in 2008 to 286 million trips’, explains
Alain Flausch, Chief Executive Officer of the STIB.
‘In 2011, we will have virtually doubled the traffic
on the metro in 10 years’ time.’
In 2008 how much did the metro represent
out of all of the STIB travel?
The participants were right on target.
5%
Guessed it was 62 %
4%
Guessed it was 27%
91% Guessed that the metro represented 48 %
One more technical point : in economic terms, the
evolution of the volume of traffic on the metro,
which has followed the growth in the service
offered by the STIB, also translates into a breakeven from 2010 onwards! This means that the
relationship between the income generated by the
STIB from the metro and its operating costs will
reach equilibrium (150 million euros in financial
income versus150 million in operating expenses).
There might even be a slight profit in 2011. For the
STIB and its regional partner, this means that from
2010 onwards, all of the public financing devoted
to the metro can be channelled exclusively into
investments: the infrastructure and rolling stock.
In the harsh economic and financial climate
currently buffeting the Brussels region, the metro
and its development are eminently compatible
with the economic plans and stimulus plans. At the
STIB, these two policies can be combined.
‘The economic plan, for us, means that we need to
increase the returns on the existing infrastructure ’,
explains Luc Bioul. ‘Whilst for the stimulus plan, it
is a question of investing in our production tool:
extending the network, renovating the rolling
stock, the stations. In so doing, we can contribute
to the development of employment in Brussels, to
mobility, and to enhancing the infrastructure for
the region. In other words: no question that this is
a sustainable public investment ’.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The development of the Brussels metro
Between now and 2011, the STIB does not plan
to let the grass grow under its feet. It will be
acquiring six new boas. ‘These will allow us to
attain an arrival frequency in 2011 of a metro train
every 2 and a half minutes on the common section.
If necessary, we also have the option of purchasing
seven additional boas,’ adds Luc Bioul.
P-5
I The development of the Brussels metro
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The development of the Brussels metro
2) Bursting with future plans!
P-6
The implementation of the 2005-2010 development
plan is drawing to a close. However the future is
already taking shape. Development is underway on
the 2010-2020 master plan at the STIB, which is presenting us with some serious challenges, such as
the question of financing the major infrastructure
and rolling stock. In 2015, the first metro trains will
have reached the (venerable) age of 40 years. They
need to be renewed and made more available. In
order to further improve the service offered to travellers, with regard to the quality of the transport
service, new projects will be launched or are already
being implemented. Improving the system for ticketing is one example. The major renovation work
on certain stations such as Schuman, is another. In
this context, the keyword here is intermodality.
Other needs are also making themselves felt: automated driving, the necessity of building a third
depot, plans for extending the network towards
the north and south, the TRIAS project which favours a reconfiguration of the network according
to the principal of one line per axis. The metro has
the wind at its back all over Europe. Brussels has
every intention of taking part in this new wave that
promises urban mobility that is both efficient and
‘green ’.
The Brussels metro in figures
Currently, the Brussels Metro is made up of a
network of 85.9 kilometres. It comprises six lines
(since 3 April 2009), two of which are operated
as pre-metro. The network counts 69 stations. In
2008, the Brussels metro carried some 136 million
passengers in its 307 cars.
What percentage of increase in traffic on the STIB was measured between 1999 and 2008?
Interesting to note that the majority of participants underestimated the performance of the STIB. In fact
traffic increased by 80%, which is virtually unique in Europe.
3% estimated the traffic increase at 32%
46% estimated the traffic
increase at 80%
16% estimated the traffic
increase at 52%
35% estimated the traffic
increase at 66%
II
Madrid
Twelve years after an explosive development
of the metro
Greater Madrid has a total of 6.1 million
inhabitants. The metro, with its network covering
284 km, serves 295 stations distributed throughout
12 municipalities. Every day, 2.5 million people ride
on one or another of its lines.
The story of the Madrid Metro goes back a long
way. In 2009, the Madrilenian metro actually
celebrated its 90th birthday. It is a story of ups and
downs, including a major decline in the 1980s.
In 1974, the total traffic on the Madrid public
transport network was 1.18 billion passengers.
In 1986, the ‘ black’ year, this figure plunged to
950 million passengers. Since then, the curve
has consistently climbed. In 2007, 1,663 million
passengers (that is 1.6 billion!) used the public
transport network, and roughly half of this was on
the metro (49%).
Naturally, there is an explanation for this miracle.
The attractiveness of the service has generated
widespread user loyalty.
‘The Madrid metro network has grown
tremendously since 1995,’ explains Aurelio Rojo
Garrido, Deputy Director of the general authority
for the Madrid metro. ‘In 1995, the various metro
lines comprised a total of 164 stations distributed
throughout 120 kilometres of network. Twelve
years later, in 2007, some 292 stations have been
opened to the public on a network covering a total
of 284 kilometres ’.
The network of metro stations is densely woven.
Currently, 76.7 % of the population of Madrid lives
less than 600 meters from a station. Also of note:
the metro network is complemented by a dozen
intermodal terminals.
‘The exponential growth could only be achieved
by resolving a number of challenges. The choices
that we were forced to make were difficult ones,
with regard to respecting both the budget and the
deadlines’, explains Mr. Garrido.
The network is formed by three separate partners:
he regional Transport Authority who is in
T
charge of co-ordination of the transport and
the integration of the fares,
The agency responsible for building the
infrastructure (tunnels, stations etc.),
And finally the ‘Madrid Metro’, which manages
all of the operational aspects, also the general
design of new lines, construction projects,
rolling stock, supervision of the works, startup
of work sites,...
‘As operators, we were faced with several strategic
options from the start. On one hand, the systematic
use of new technical criteria intended to improve
the accessibility of the trains and stations, at the
same time as developing advanced communication
systems, and efficient technology for the inspection
and maintenance of the infrastructure.
Universities and specialised research centres
were also associated with the project from the
start. On the other hand, a modern, streamlined
management system was put in place designed to
limit the hierarchical layering. This made it possible
to considerably speed up the decision-making
process.
With regard to the design of the new stations,
the ‘Madrid Metro’ opted for a harmonised or
standardised type of construction. All of the
stations meet the same criteria, with an improved
accessibility. They are located 16 m underground,
with platforms accessible by escalators and lifts.
‘For the construction, we made use of tunnel boring
machines, in order to be able to dig the new lines
within the deadlines that were set.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Madrid
Madrid / In brief
P-7
II Madrid
In order to save time, where possible we tried to
eliminate the double use of construction material
and equipment, which required that a precise
management of our resources,’ adds Aurelio Rojo
Garrido.
In terms of cost, this represents a price for
10 kilometres of network (tunnels equipped with
10 stations) that fluctuates between 556 and
744 million euros, depending on the type of metro
(there are different track gauges in Madrid) and the
terrain encountered. Altogether, the investment
for the Madrid metro between 1995 and 2007 was
around 10 billion euros.
A practical detail: during the work, the Madrid
metro managed to maintain virtually uninterrupted
service for its customers. ‘We try to keep the
system running even when there is work going on’,
confirms M. Garrido. ‘We refused to close certain
stations (with just a few exceptions during the
summertime). There was no disruption of service. ’
economic, technical and management factors.
From a political point of view: we had total support
from the regional government at every step of the
project along the way.
On the technical side, the designation of a head
authority who was able to maintain contact with
all of the other actors in order to ensure rapid
decision-making throughout the project, to make
an appropriate selection of construction methods,
etc. was a success factor. We were also able to rely
on secure and quick sources of financing. And at the
management level, a small team who supervised
all of the projects in sync with all the other parties
involved, including the administration, was a plus.
Specifically, this made it possible to avoid long legal
procedures and in this way avoid many delays.
The metro: a knowledge accelerator
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Madrid
One doesn’t often think about it but major
infrastructural work, the planning and the search
for the best technical solutions, perfecting new
materials etc. leads to intense efforts in research
and development. In the case of Madrid, this is
clearly visible.
P-8
How many stations does the Brussels
metro have in 2009?
35 stations 12%
‘Within the context of our current development
work, we have 45 research projects ongoing’,
explains Aurelio Garrido. ‘And 25 of these projects
are being conducted in partnership with companies,
whilst 35 of them are with universities’.
Is the Madrilenian model suitable for other metro
networks around the world? Absolutely, with
certain adaptations. ‘We have had the benefit of the
confluence of interests’, reflects the speaker. ‘The
four main success factors involved were political,
22% 58 stations
66%
69 stations
III
Lisbon
Lisbon/in brief
The Lisbon region has 2.7 million inhabitants of
whom 565,000 live in the city. This represents 3.7
million motorised trips per day, of which 33% are
made by public transport. It is a varied public transport service made up of multiple operators.
In Lisbon, 16 different public transport operators
occupy the terrain with a range of systems: Metro
(heavy and light), trams, railways, boats, buses. This
mosaic of players naturally produces certain problems for the users who do not stick to using just a
single line or a single method of transport for their
journeys.
In the 1970s, the users of public transport in Lisbon
had a choice of 300 different types of fares, and 70
types of tickets depending on the intermodal journeys they needed to make. The prices were set by
the government, some of which were the result of
commercial agreements between operators. A regulatory authority for transport at the regional level
was painfully lacking.
How to simplify and unify this mosaic of heterogeneous fares with at the same time as establishing
a system of contact free access cards? The solution
came in setting up an association representing the
interests of multiple operators.
‘It was in 1996: the creation of Otlis’, explains Regina
Ferreira, Advisor to the ‘Lisbon metro’ (Portugal) but
also the current Chairman of the Board of Directors
of Otlis.Ace (Operadores de Transportes da Regio de
Lisboa).
Its job became managing the interoperable ticketing
used in greater Lisbon.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Lisbon
Integrated ‘ contact free ’ ticketing that can only lead to
expansion of service
P-9
What are the main advantages offered by the Brussels
Metro in comparison with car travel ?
According to participants, the main advantage of the Metro
is its speed, whereas in the Barometer survey carried out in
2008, STIB clients puts the lack of need for parking at the top
of the list of advantages of using the Metro.
III Lisbon
Parking problems
Better for the environment
Less stressful
Economical
Fast No traffic jams Comfortable Otlis is also the service provider for the system of
contact free ticketing used in the city. In this capacity, Otlis is responsible for coordinating the development of interoperable solutions and certifying the
new systems that have been established.
The two main projects conducted by Otlis concern
the closing of access to the metro stations in the city
of Lisbon (from now on you can only access them
by showing authorisation, or at least a recognised
access card) and the deployment of an integrated
ticketing system. In this case, it is a chip card called
LisboaVIVA.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Lisbon
In the initial phase, seven operators immediately
adopted the system. In the past decade, others were
won over by the formula and joined the system.
During this period, Otlis acted as an expert for its
other operators in order to help them to make the
shift to the integrated transport card system. The
company also carried out the implementation of a
system of selling public transport tickets via ATMs.
The closure of the metro stations and the launch of
the Lisboa VIVA were a veritable revolution for the
residents of Lisbon. Aside from the technical challenges it was also a matter of getting them to accept
this new way of travelling.
P-10
Information campaigns were successfully carried out
and the staff was trained to help the customers.
Otlis managed the promotional operations for the
new system, and it also still co-ordinates and manages Lisboa VIVA on behalf of the operators with the
support of the authorities.
Next year, in 2010, all of the public transport of the
Region of Lisbon will be functioning with the integrated contact free ticketing system.
Otlis will supervise the entire system and will be responsible especially for processing the data from the
Metrovision
2
3 5
6
1
4
7
Barometer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
available information: in other words, the utilisation
of the cards by customers, the revenue from sales of
the cards and their recharging. Ms. Ferreira’s company is also responsible for managing the information security codes for the payment and use of these
cards (rechargeable to specific levels, via the web,
etc.) as well as the fair redistribution of the revenues
from the system among the various operators.
Otlis maintains a partnership with a stable and independent team of suppliers of systems and equipment
in order to ensure the service. It should in any case
be noted that each operator remains responsible for
its control levels and the sale of this integrated card.
‘Their own’ levels because these are effectively acquired by each operator who remains their owner.
Future developments
This system of centralised management opens up
countless possibilities for the future. Aside from
new operators within the system, such as the Portuguese Railway, this type of card, based on RFID
technology, could one day be accepted in other cities around the country. It could also be used for
payment in urban parking garages, in combination
or not with public transport services. It could be a
single card dedicated to mobility in the broadest
sense and could also be used to grant access to car
sharing, taxi sharing, and bicycle rental in the city.
The Otlis company, that also envisages making the
card rechargeable through ATM machines, does
not exclude the possibility of one day making the
VIVA card the preferred method of payment and
access for a range of services in the area of sport,
tourism, education, culture etc.
IV
Hamburg
New lines and tunnels dug in a loop
Hamburg, 755 km², if the second-largest city in
Germany and Europe’s second largest maritime
port. The city is home to 1.77 million inhabitants.
The metropolitan area, which overlaps two
neighbouring Länder, has a total population of 4
million. Its metro is made up of three long lines
spanning 100 kilometres and serving 89 stations.
In the region of greater Hamburg, mobility is
provided essentially by private vehicles (43%),
bicycles (11%), travel on foot (27 %) and finally
by public transport (19%). This does not prevent
the public transport service available from being
diverse and... ambitious.
‘The public transport system comprises various
networks’, explains
Gerhard Schenk, Strategic Director for the Hamburg
Metro and responsible for co-ordination of the
different transport operators in the region. ‘Three
metro lines (89 stations on 100 km) serve the city
centre, as do six RER lines (67 stations and 140 km).
The two networks form the backbone of public
transport for the city and its environs. In addition,
12 railway lines providing regional service complete
the transport picture. In addition to this rail-based
service, there are also 408 bus lines and six ferry
lines. ’
The annual public transport traffic in the Hamburg
region continues to rise. ‘We have gone from
400 million passengers in 1985 to over 600 million
today’, notes the engineer.
This increase occurred primarily in the 1990s. The
phenomenon was unquestionably connected with
the opening of the borders to the east, which
brought many new residents into the region.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Hamburg
Hamburg / in brief
P-11
What technique would you favour for extending the Brussels Metro
tunnels in the future?
80% of participants chose the technique of tunnelling. Although it is more
expensive, the advantage is that it preserves the urban environment on the
surface.
traditional methods 20%
80% tunnel
boring machine
IV Hamburg
This is a shift that is still ongoing. The appeal of
Hamburg and its region shows no sign of flagging.
The authorities are expecting a population increase
on the order of 100,000 newcomers over the next
10 to 15 years which, combined with an aboveaverage economic growth, will increase the traffic
in greater Hamburg.
The city is also focusing heavily on the idea of
sustainable development and aspires to become a
model in this area. It’s quite simple: the city covets
the title ‘environmental capital’ for 2011. The main
objective is to continue to reduce CO2 emissions. In
order to achieve this, Hamburg has created a longterm development plan. This involves the majority
of the public transport.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Hamburg
The development projects in progress have to do
with setting up a new line of the S-bahn towards
the airport which will reach the centre of the city in
just 25 minutes.
P-12
Two other major projects are in the works in
the area of the metro. The first one concerns the
reorganisation of the network, as in Brussels. The
objective is to increase the capacity of the metro
in order to anticipate future needs and to absorb
new clientele which will enable the existing lines
to become more profitable. This perspective
involves multiple lines of thinking, including the
transformation of a regional railway line into an
RER.
The second project involves creating a completely
new metro line. Dubbed the U 4, it will complete
the underground rail network for the city. It will be
constructed around the former harbour districts
(Hafen-City), which are currently undergoing
residential redevelopment, and the city centre.
Line U4 will be 4 kilometres long. Completely
underground, it will be built at a depth varying
from16.5 meters to 42 meters below the surface.
This is necessary in order to avoid the foundations
of buildings. The tunnels will have a standard
diameter of 5.6 meters and over half of them (2.8
km) will be done using a tunnel boring machine
(loop technique).
The last section of the network will be completed in
the open-air and it will traverse a zone that is thinly
covered by buildings. ‘By combining these two
techniques, the Hamburgers can thus be assured
that the construction work will cause a minimum
of inconvenience ’, adds Gerhard Schenk. ‘Also,
the extension of this new line to cross the Elbe is
already being studied ’.
Line U4 is not the only major development on the
public transport network that is under way in the
city and its environs. Construction of a new light
metro network is also being planned. The political
decision of whether or not to reintroduce a system
of this type is expected to be resolved by the end
of the year. The objective is to develop a network
of some 50 km in order to make the link with the
other rail networks but also to replace part of the
bus lines that criss-cross the city. An initial section
of 8 km should come into service in 2014.
Intermodality
Thirty-five transport operators are active in the
Hamburg region. They use uniform ticketing
and also offer standardised information to the
passengers. Naturally, the schedules have been
harmonised. In terms of income, the production
and sale of transport tickets is shared between
the operators according to the terms established
in the joint operating contracts. This redistribution
is largely based on the number of passengers
transported and the distance covered.
V
Milan
Charging urban tolls creates income to the
benefit of a global mobility policy.
The city which forms one of the major magnets in
northern Italy covers 182 km². The region is rich in
industry. ‘Greater Milan ’ covers 1075 km².
The city has 1.3 million inhabitants, 2.9 million
including the suburbs. Six million journeys a day of
which two million take place in the city centre.
With its population of 1.3 million, Milan is not exactly
a megalopolis, nevertheless the city and its region
is choked with traffic. In 2008, the municipality
launched a new mobility programme aimed at
freeing up the centre of the city and making the
air quality more tolerable. Henceforth, car drivers
must pay to drive in the city. The new programme
for car charges dubbed the ‘Ecopass’ was designed,
developed and is currently still managed by the
company ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi).
‘The distribution of modes of transport in greater
Milan is dominated by private motorised transport’,
observes Giampaolo Codeluppi, head of strategic
planning at the Milan transport agency ATM.
66% of the trips between the city and its region
are made in private cars or by motorcycle, with just
31.5% being done by public transport.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Milan
Milan / in brief
P-13
V Milan
By contrast, once inside the city, this trend shifts.
47.2% of the trips are made by public transport
and 46.8% by car or motor scooter. Also of note:
5.4% of the trips are done by bicycle in the centre,
thanks to a system of bicycle sharing, serviced by
some 100 stations throughout the city.
In this context, ATM is an ‘interoperator’ operating
in Milan and in 85 neighbouring municipalities.
Bicycles, bus, metro, parking: the company
manages the entire public transport system as a
whole. It is also in charge of car-sharing and offers
a single transport card that grants access to all
of the services associated with mobility: the ATM
card, a contact free card.
The overall public transport service comprises
87 bus or trolley-bus lines, 20 tram lines and 3 metro
lines which make up the framework of the network.
For its part, the metro covers 74 kilometres of track.
The goal is to create, between now and 2015, three
new metro lines for a total of 144 kilometres of
network. It’s a question of virtually doubling the
present network.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Milan
ECOPASS
P-14
The major innovation in Milan is the introduction
of the Ecopass system on 1 January 2008. ‘ Ecopass
makes the link between our customers’ demand
for more mobility and the city’s desire to limit the
usage of private vehicles as well as the air pollution
in the city centre’, explains Giampaolo Codeluppi.
A system of control barriers equipped with cameras
was installed all around the city centre. In order to
enter it, you have to pay a fee. The control system is
computerised. It reads the registration plates and
identifies the vehicles. This recognition provides
access control for each vehicle into the centre. Does
it have the proper authorisation? If so: no problem.
If not, the fines for violators may be heavy, up to
275 euros. The system operates 12 hours a day:
from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, from Monday to Friday.
What is unique about that Ecopass system is the
cost of the authorisation for daily travel for each
vehicle. This cost is modulated depending on the
degree of pollution generated by the vehicle and
based on the emissions of microparticles (PM 10).
The more pollution caused by the vehicle, the
higher the price that must be paid to use it in the
city.
Certain categories of motorised vehicles are not
subject to payment of a fee for driving in the city.
These include for example mopeds, motorcycles,
cars for transporting handicapped persons, hybrid
cars, cars that run on LPG, electric cars but also cars
run on diesel in which the fuel meets the EURO
III and IV standards, or more recently even, diesel
motors equipped with filters for particles.
The matter of purchasing an Ecopass is handled
by offering car drivers the option of paying their
fees through various channels. Day tickets are sold
at tobacconists, news agents, and the ATM pointsof-sale. A central telephone system (Call Centre
with toll-free number) also allows paying the fee
by credit card. The Ecopass is also available via
Internet and even through automatic bank transfer
(standing payment order). Forgetful drivers can still
pay after having driven in to the centre, up until
the following day at midnight. After this deadline,
fines are imposed.
Significant profits
Since it was launched, several million euros have
been collected thanks to the system. These funds
have been reinvested into projects enhancing
urban mobility. Public transport also benefits from
it as do systems for vehicle sharing (bicycles and
cars).
In the course of its first year of operation, Ecopass
also had a noticeable impact on the quality of life
in the city and on the periphery as well. Specifically,
it led to a reduction of traffic in the centre by 12.3%
but also of 3.6% in the suburbs.
Road accidents decreased by 20.6% in the paying
area, while the commercial speed of the public
transport surged by 7.8% and at the same time, the
traffic on various lines increased by 7.3%. Sixteen
new urban lines and 13 new peri-urban lines were
created.
Finally, the pollution in the city centre was sharply
reduced. The volume of microparticles there fell by
23.3% and the CO2 by 14%.
A collateral effect of setting up the system: ‘We
have played a role in the renewal of the fleet of
private vehicles’, explains Giampaolo Codeluppi.
‘The old vehicles were gradually replaced by
modern vehicles that are cleaner and therefore...
less expensive to use in the city centre’.
The next challenge facing Milan will be that of
hosting Expo 2015. From May to 31 October 2015,
the exhibition in Milan will welcome some 30
million visitors. At the same time, the city will need
to undergo a profound transformation in order
to move from an urban structure with a single
(historic) centre towards a multi-centred city. When
it comes to public transport, this is definitely a city
to watch.
What mode of financing would you favour for developing public transport in Brussels?
The participants had different opinions on this point, although many were open to the establishment of
urban tolls.
2% Fare increases
13%
Public-private partnerships
23% Government financing via the
cooperative agreement Beliris
15%
Parking fees
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Milan
40% Tols for cars
7%
Regional budget
P-15
©J. LEONE – Grand Lyon
©Nicolas Robin.
VI
Lyons
A driverless metro
Lyons / in brief
Greater Lyons encompasses a total of 64 communes
and extends over 613 km². It is home to 1.3 million
inhabitants. In France, it is the second largest public
transport network after Paris. Its metro comprises
four lines covering a total of 29.4 km and serving
42 stations.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Lyons
The urban area of Lyons is rich in public transport.
And there is one word that describes the local
service: multimodality. Five families of infrastructure
are basically shared in the field. Aside from the
Metro (4 lines, 29.4 km and 42 stations), there are
two lines of aerial tramway (6 cars and 1.2 km),
trams (4 lines, 50 km and 77 stations), trolleybuses
(7 lines, 95 bus and 35 km) and buses (127 lines, 897
buses and 1271 km).
A school bus system also complements the array
of services, comprising 112 buses and running over
1060 km with 106 routes! This dense interweaving
between the different modes of transport is further
enhanced by the existence of some 20 parking
garages discouraging drivers from coming into the
city, offering 6500 parking spaces.
In the centre, the priority has been given to nonpolluting public transport. 70 % of the travel there
is electric. The result: while there is an abundant
supply of public transport, it is responsible for only
3% of the polluting emissions in the centre.
P-16
The service has not come about by chance. It is
the result of the efforts of Sytral (Syndicat mixte
des transports pour le Rhône et l’agglomération
Lyonnaise), the organising Authority for public
transport in Lyons.
‘Lyons has also created a plan for urban mobility
- plan de déplacements urbains or ‘PDU ’, explains
Bernard Rivalta, president of Sytral and also a public
representative. ‘ Its goal? Making a real alternative
available in the Lyons urban area to car use by
developing a strong network of public transport. ’
©Nicolas Robin.
The strengths of this PDU: contributing to the
embellishment, the enlivening and development
of the territories it runs through; thinking outside
of the concept of the hyper-centre by developing
a high-quality range of services on the periphery
and servicing the major collective facilities for the
urban area.
‘In terms of public transport, the objectives of this
urban travel plan are also ambitious. It’s a question
of offering service for a very large part of the day and
night’, explains Bernard Rivalta. ‘A service available
from 5 AM to midnight with increased frequency of
arrival, every 5 to 10 minutes. This array of services
must be accompanied by guaranteed travel times.
Priority arrangements for public transport have
therefore been made. In addition, the comfort of
the customers and the accessibility of the vehicles
are also central concerns. This is translated by
the use of modern vehicles that are comfortable,
climate controlled and often also electric. ’
A new automated line in Paris
The RATP, which has operated an automatic metro line (L14)
since 1998 named METEOR, has decided to automate its line
1 which is currently manually driven and will be doing this
without disruption of service.
Between now and 2012, the most heavily trafficked metro line
in Paris will in other words be driving without a pilot, at least
without a human one. The work will be carried out at night,
after the passage of the last metro. Some 700 localisation
tags are being installed on the trains, as well as antennae
intended to ensure communication between the vehicles
and dispatching.
On the platforms as well, work is underway. Particularly the installation of access gates. The RATP, jointly with the
syndicates, has also considered the future of the current drivers of the trains on this line: there are 250 of them. Some
of them have accepted work on other lines. Others will be reassigned within the company and retrained for new
jobs that will be generated by the implementation of the new automatic line.
and a system of this type also makes it possible to
reduce the time between trains. ‘As a result of all of
these evolutions on the line, we have been able to
gain one metro train’, Notes Bernard Rivalta.
The automatic metro is constantly developing. At
the moment, the management in Lyons are working
on reducing the time that the metro train spends
at the station by analysing images transmitted
by surveillance cameras on the platforms. ‘At the
moment, it is simply a statistical tool’, explains the
president of Sytral. ‘ Ultimately the departure of
the train will be linked to this. ’
All of this effort - for what results?
Of the four metro lines that criss-cross Lyons, line D
is revolutionary. At least that’s what it was in 1992,
when it was the world’s first metro train to run on
automatic pilot. Fifteen stations are interspersed
along its 12.6 kilometres crossing the urban area
from east to west.
‘We called this the Magaly project’, notes
Bernard Rivalta. ‘ Magaly is the acronym for ‘Métro
automatique de grand gabarit à Lyon. The first of
its kind in the world. ’
On line D, the automatic piloting is an integral
part. There is no staff onboard. The movement of
the trains is guided by onboard automatic piloting
that is in permanent dialogue with the automatic
piloting on the ground. The advantages of this type
of formula primarily have to do with the increased
frequency of trains. Automatic piloting makes it
possible to have a fine regulation of the metro train
As for the question of passenger safety: it’s never
an issue ! Everything has been done to maximise
the safety in this automatically driven metro. This
ranges from the security gates at the station to the
palpable edges on the side of the metro train doors,
detection of falls onto the tracks and intrusion into
the tunnels, to intercom systems inside the metro
trains, the detection obstacles by the moving trains,
etc.
The experiment has certainly been successful.
So much so that Sytral is currently working on
the transformation of its metro line B into an
automatically piloted line.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Lyons
Metro line D: 12.6 kilometres on
automatic pilot
The commercial speed on line D is 31 km/h, a metro
train arrives at the station every 109 second at rush
hour and every 170 at off-peak times. However the
system could even bring the time between two
trains down to 90 seconds. The line currently carries
270 000 passengers a day. Sytral expect to see the
traffic increase further particularly by making the
connections in the stations smoother through
arrangements that are better adapted to the metro
trains’, continues the public representative.
P-17
VII
Nuremberg
The successful conversion of a traditional metro to
an automatic metro
Dr. Rainer Müller, member of the board of the
Verkehrs-Aktiengeselleschaft (VAG) Nuremberg.
‘For a long time, line U3 was a traditional metro
line. It shifted to automatic piloting last year. After
nine months of operational service, the assessment
is positive, both on our side and on the side of the
travellers.’
The secret to the success? ‘ It has to do with a
number of ingredients’, points out Rainer Müller.
Shifting to an automated metro is part of an
existing development plan for the line. In this way
we also have to take into account the replacement
of a part of the rolling stock and the resolution
of certain problems with connections with other
public transport networks (bus, railways, trams).
Nuremberg / in brief
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Nuremberg
2.2 million people live in the region of Nuremberg
which is one of Germany’s 10 most important
economic regions. Greater Nuremberg extends
over 11,750 km². The city itself encompasses six
communes which are home to 825,000 people on
330 km². Three metro lines traverse the city, one
of which has been transformed into an automatic
line.
P-18
Nuremberg is an amazing city in more than one
way. With regard to travel for example: over one
third of this is nonmotorised with 23% of trips
being made on foot and 11% by bicycle. Private
transport (cars), however, take the lion’s share
(45% in total), while public transport amounts to
21% (situation in 2007).
The city is also serviced by three metro lines.
And one of these has just been converted to an
automated line. The regular riders of line U3 are
now carried on vehicles with or without a driver:
both systems function in parallel. They seem to be
comfortable with the situation.
‘It hasn’t always been this way’, explains
When do you think the automation of the Brussels Metro should start?
The majority of participants regard automation as a priority that they would like to see realised by 2015
at the latest.
5% In 2030
46% As soon as possible
11% Not an urgent priority
39%
In 2015
The period was therefore ideal to broach the
subject of a thorough modernisation of the line,
including the shift to automatic driving. ’
of the line into ‘full automatic’. Various studies
demonstrated the feasibility of the project and its
economic value.
Before making up their minds definitively on this
matter, the management of the VAG took advantage
of the experience in Lyons by dispatching a
working party to make an on-site visit. They were
also inspired by the preliminary studies carried
out in Berlin and Frankfurt and turned to various
technical sources, particularly in industry. The
conclusion after all of these steps was to lean in
the direction of the transformation and extension
The first results after nine months of operation
confirm that the choices made were well-founded.
More passengers are using line U3 than ever and
they appear to be satisfied. It should be pointed out
that they were kept especially well-informed about
the progress of their network. Multiple informative
campaigns via a range of complementary media
accompanied the transformation of the line.
‘The arrival times are being attained with more
precision, and it takes less staff to operate the line.
Even the energy consumption has been reduced ’,
adds Rainer Müller.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Nuremberg
From the personnel as well, there is clear enthusiasm.
The utilisation and maintenance of the new system
was rolled out without any negative incidents and
the operation has gone without a hitch. Finally,
the automatic system has proved more punctual
then manually driven operation and the entire line
appears to be safer.
In short, a success... all the way down the line!
P-19
VIII
Barcelona
Line 9 automated: public transport backbone
Barcelona / in brief
The municipality of Barcelona comprises
18 communes spread over 318.5 km². It has a
population of 2.8 million inhabitants. In the city
centre, public transport is used for 40% of the
trips, private vehicles for 23 % while travel on foot
represents 36%. If one excludes travel on foot, the
share of public transport in the motorised travel
amounts to 64 %. The Barcelona Metro has 6 lines
raging over 88 km and servicing 123 stations.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Barcelona
The responsibility for the public transport in
Barcelona, the city of Gaudi, falls to the consortium
ATM (Metropolitan Transport Authority), composed
for 51% by the Generalitat (regional government),
for 25% by the city of Barcelona and for 24% by the
Entitat (metropolitan transport service).
The role of the ATM is to provide planning for the
infrastructural work, integration of fares and coordination of the various networks.
TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona), for
its part, is the chief operator of other transport
in Barcelona and more generally in Catalonia. It
provides transport for 2 million passengers per day
and validates some 570 million transport tickets
per year.
It is TMB that is responsible for operating the six
metro lines in the city, as well as the 109 bus lines,
an aerial tramway and certain tourist bus services.
In Barcelona, the metro runs from 5 AM to midnight
during the week, from5 AM to 2 AM on Fridays
and holidays and around-the-clock on Saturdays.
P-20
Line 9
The new line 9 of the Barcelona Metro, the first
section of which will come into service at the end
of 2009, is quite certainly the largest in the entire
city. Measuring 48 km long and serving 52 stations,
on its own it is responsible for half of the metro
traffic in the city. Automation is needed in order
to ensure efficiency in the future and to allow it
to become the backbone of Barcelona’s public
transport network.
‘ It is poised to become the hyphen between
the other metro lines, the high-speed train, the
university, the stadium, the airport, the Barcelona
exhibition centre, and will serve the transfer points
most favoured by travellers, ’ explains Michael Pellot,
Director of R&D and international relations for the
TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona).
For the construction of this line, there were some
fundamental choices to be made.
‘All of the stations are dug very deeply and use
identical architecture; they are standardised. On
the whole, it was a question of building a vertical
‘tube’ that would be connected to the horizontal
tube: the metro tunnel’, explains Mr. Pellot. ‘This
solution is not invasive on the surface and makes it
possible to construct stations in densely populated
zones. It also will one day allow the extension of
the length of the platforms, should that become
necessary: the platforms basically ‘end ’ in the
tunnels.
Another specific aspect of this new line is the
superimposition of the tracks in a tunnel dug in a
loop, measuring 11 metres.
‘Each of the stations are accessible through a system
of 6 high-speed escalators (60 seconds for access)
which will also be made ‘intelligent’ to the extent
that they will be synchronised with the movement
of the new metro trains’, continues the director of
TMB. ‘A small part of the network will be in the
open air. The tracks will be elevated (viaduct). Four
aerial stations will also be built.’
The metro trains for line L9 are made up of five cars
with a total capacity of
975 seats. But above all, since it is a driverless metro,
they are also fitted with a range of equipment
designed to ensure the safety of the travellers.
Aside from the traditional emergency handles for
signalling alarm, and a system of releasing the doors
Why choose automation?
Greater transport capacity, more services available to customers (late-night operation, in the context of special
events, etc.), shorter waiting times, good service at off-peak times, flexibility of service, increased passenger safety,
fewer human errors and, of course, optimisation of the fleet and operational costs are the keywords in this policy.
in case of emergency, these cars will be monitored
by a system of cameras, transmitting images to
central dispatching. Naturally, telecommunications
systems will complete the picture.
Travellers will be constantly informed of the status
of the line through information screens. ‘In fact,
communication with the trains will be permanent
and bidirectional’, summarises Michael Pellot.
Setting up the new automated line L9 is not the
only automation project in Barcelona. TMB is also
working on switching its line 11 to automatic
piloting. Building a new line 10 is also in the works,
as well as the extension of line 2 for which a
changeover to automation is also planned.
In 2015, lines 9, 2 (with its extensions) and 11 will
reach a total length of 65 kilometres, or 43 % of the
entire metro network.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Barcelona
Everything will also be automated with regard to
ticketing and access control to the stations. And
with regard to the personnel, TMB made the first
move by communicating extensively with the
syndicates and with its own staff directly with
regard to the changing jobs. From now on the staff
will need to be able to perform multiple tasks, in
the stations as well as on the trains if necessary. The
function of the train driver is no longer exclusive
and employees are no longer bound to a single line
but rather to an urban zone. In short: it’s a way of
avoiding monotony on the job.
P-21
IX
The lessons that can be drawn
Metrovision
The experiences and projects from various European cities
presented here enrich the thought-process that is underway
regarding the future of Brussels.
Should the Metro continue to be developed?
hat are the essential ideas and issues
W
that must be considered in order to have a
successful ‘ metro for the 21st century’ ?
The STIB put together a panel of observers straight
from the economic and social sectors in Brussels,
who were invited to attend this Rendezvous with
Progress meeting. Here is what they had to say….
Alain Deneef / Aula Magna
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The lessons that can be drawn
The Aula Magna is a non-profit making
association that conducts innovative and
transversal thinking about the future of Brussels.
The association brings together university
professors, directors of grassroots movements,
leaders from the social-economic world, and
figures from the cultural sector. It organises
conferences and seminars, publishes the results
of research and advances the debate on a range
of subjects that are crucial for the future wellbeing of the city and its residents.
P-22
‘With regard to the extension of the metro, one
should be careful not to think within the framework
of the contemporary geographical perimeter, a
region that encompasses a total of approximately
1.1 million inhabitants ’, reflects a Alain Deneef,
President of Aula Magna.
‘ One must look much further’, he continues.
‘Towards the horizon of 2020 for example, when the
region will have gained 170,000 more inhabitants
according to the Plan Bureau, or possibly even more
according to other, more wishful scenarios that
have been floated: these additional inhabitants
would have been acquired thanks to an attractive
plan for the city.
In this context, it seems to me that the discussion
of the future of the metro is cast in a different light.
It is valuable to house these new citizens into zones
that are already well serviced by public transport
rather than to impose urban development on more
isolated zones that do not have as good coverage
from the existing lines. One could also imagine that
these new inhabitants are going to be attracted to
high-density districts, which may not have quite
sufficient service from public transport. Therefore
I feel that an extension of the metro into these
districts would be quite meaningful and legitimate
towards the north of the city and Schaerbeek. ’
Laurent Dauby / UITP
The Union Internationale des Transports Publics is
an international association that brings together
public transport professionals (organising
authorities and operators) from around the
world. Its objective is to promote better mobility
for people on a global scale. The UITP has over
3000 members in 90 countries.
For Laurent Dauby, director of the Union
Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP), the
extension of the Brussels metro is crucial. ‘It will go
where the public calls it’ he says. ‘In our view, the
metro of the future will definitely be automated
and will connect seamlessly with the outlying
areas of the Brussels region. Specifically, it should
provide access to the RER stations ’.
From a more global point of view, the UITP has
identified five strategic axes for the development
of urban transport within an ambitious context.
‘On the global level, between now and 2025, we
expect the public transport market to double’,
continues Mr. Dauby. ‘ Or we may even see a tripling
Cathy Macharis / Commission
Régionale de Mobilité
The Regional Commission on Mobility was
created in 2000. Its aim is to study, evaluate
and form recommendations and proposals
concerning mobility in general, particularly
from the point of view of considering its role
in managing public space and with regard to
public transport. The commission conducts this
work either at the request of the government,
or on its own initiative. This commission has
two specialised sections: one devoted to cycling
and the other to disabled persons with limited
mobility.
Cathy Macharis, president of the Regional
Commission on Mobility affirms the above two
points of view. In other words, she is in favour of the
extension of the metro where it is most relevant;
but she is also cautious. ‘We should beware of
decisions in this area which are more political than
effectively motivated by the real-world needs’.
Olivier Willocx / BECI
BECI stands for the Chambre de Commerce &
Union des Entreprises de Brussels and represents
thousands of businesses in Brussels. It defends
their interests and provides them with numerous
services to facilitate the management of their
activities.
For Olivier Willock, managing Director of Brussels
Entreprises Commerce & Industry (BECI) the status
quo is inconceivable in Brussels. He is looking for
a vision of the development of public transport
that takes into account the outlying areas of the
Brussels region and ‘the intolerable situation of
zones such as Zaventem and Diegem that are
completely isolated by an oversized ring’. In short,
the order of the day is: integration and extension
of the metro lines. Towards the north for sure. A
question of parking facilities that would dissuade
people from driving into the city also seems an
urgent issue to him: where should they be installed,
how should they be integrated?
Mathieu Sonck / Inter-Environnement
Brussels
Inter-Environnement Brussels (IEB) is a federation
of nearly 80 district committees and specialised
groups in the Brussels Capital Region.
For over 30 years, the Inter-Environnement
Brussels group has been devoted to enhancing
the quality of life in Brussels. In consultation
with its Board of Directors, made up of
representatives from the district committees and
member associations, the Federation defends
the interests of and promotes a city that can
engender both emancipation and solidarity. Its
functioning and evolution must guarantee the
well-being of present and future generations.
From both an urban and human perspective.
Mathieu Sonck, Secretary-General of InterEnvironnement Brussels, does not want more
metro lines in Brussels. He applauds the increased
traffic on the metro lines that the STIB has been
able to achieve in the past decade, at the same
time as decrying the concurrent rise in automobile
traffic in the capital.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The lessons that can be drawn
in the number of trips made by public transport.
Our sector has to be capable of transporting just
under 1000 billion passengers per year’.
In order to meet this challenge, we are going to
have to rely on the five strategic axes identified
by the UITP.
1. The ‘customer’ orientation. Customers can only
be attracted by offering them high-quality
service.
2. Financing. He does not reject out of hand
the idea of urban tolls for car drivers (‘ It
shouldn’t be excluded ’) but above all, he calls
for inventiveness on this point, for example by
developing the PPP (public-private partnership)
in Brussels.
3. Corporate culture. ‘The STIB has evolved
tremendously in 10 years,’ he points out, ‘It
has become a veritable integrated mobility
management service’.
4. Urban governance.‘In Brussels, the 19 communes
are beginning to become a bit too small. They no
longer correspond to the natural mobility zone.
One should follow the example of countries
abroad and enlarge the perimeter. In Belgium,
this is not easy but it is an indispensable process,
in his view.
5 Management/control of the demand. Through
a policy on parking and co-ordination of the
parking policies within the communes. At the
federal level, there also has to be a review of
the policies that underwrite the use of cars in
our society. Within the context of sustainable
development, this is a must ’.
P-23
‘There is a need to promote a shift in modes and to
work on intermodality before actually constructing
more metro lines’, he asserts. ‘In the first place,
Brussels has to gain a true mobility operator. The
STIB could fulfil this role, beyond its role as operator
of public transport.
They could be in charge of public bicycles or public
cars, etc. and at the same time its objective could
be defined, in the management contract, as the
reduction of the use of automobiles in Brussels.
This would be a way to completely change the
paradigm. By reducing the automobile traffic
congestion, one could also increase the commercial
speed of vehicles for public transport. From this
point of view, the mobility operator would also
have to be able to impose a ‘congestion ’ tax,
charging a fee for private vehicles to enter the city,
as is being done in London and Milan. With regard
to the question of financing, he is sceptical of the
value of a PPP. ‘We are not ready for this type of
arrangement ’, he feels.
cities abroad demonstrates that this seems to
happen through the intervention of an authority.
An order is made that henceforth the communes
X, Y and Z will be part of the zone. And there is
support from the local and regional authorities for
the proposed project. In other countries, it’s the
ticketing that enables this integration to be realised,
through methods that are not authoritarian but
rather commercial. In Belgium, I think that the
authoritarian methods doesn’t stand a single
chance. The ‘commercial ’ methods certainly have
more chances of success, at least within the RER
zone.’ As for the Metro, he firmly believes that in
the future the system will be of the ‘closed metro ’
type with automatic metro trains.
With regard to the financing of public transport
through urban tolls in particular, he judges that this
could be a valuable form of contribution, ‘especially
taking into account our institutional landscape in
and around Brussels ’.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - The lessons that can be drawn
Hugues Duchâteau / Stratec
P-24
The bureau STRATEC was created 1984 by a group
of specialist consultants with backgrounds at
respected consulting agencies and in university
research. STRATEC has a permanent staff of some
20 experts of varying profiles (civil engineers,
agronomy engineers, architects, geographers,
etc.). The bureau takes part in advanced research
programmes in collaboration with numerous
European research centres and at the local level
with the universities of Namur (FUNDP) and
Brussels (ULB). Since its creation, STRATEC has
provided consulting for highly diverse clients,
made up of large and small-scale companies,
local, regional, national and international
governments in Belgium and abroad.
Hugues Duchâteau, managing Director of Stratec,
is impressed by the examples of the integration
of public transport services in larger and larger
territories. ‘For Brussels, he notes, the correct area
of integration should be that of the RER zone’. The
STRATEC bureau was created in 1984 by a group
of specialised consultants from well-regarded
consulting agencies and university research
programmes.
In Brussels, the means for realising this integration
also come into play. ‘The experience of certain
What areas are a priority for the
development of the Metro in Brussels?
For this event, without a doubt, the priority is
for the metro to be developed in the direction of
the north of the Brussels Capital Region.
8%
West (Berchem)
14%
East
(Ixelles)
28% South (Uccle)
50%
North (Schaerbeek-Evere)
X
Perspectives and conclusion for Brussels
The Brussels metro is a success story
Alain Flausch, Chief Executive Officer
STIB
Another trend that can be observed around the
world has to do with the automation of metros. ‘In
Brussels, the opportunity offered by their renewal
of the rolling stock towards 2015 absolutely must
be seized in order to shift from manual driving
to automated driving on the east-west axis’,
emphasises the General Manager. ‘This automation
should make it possible to improve service to our
customers by offering greater regularity and better
stability of the service thanks to the potential to
optimally manage the time taken at stops in the
stations and to make this constant, at the same
time as increasing the frequency of the arrival of
trains up to a maximum of 35 metro trains per
hour ’.
A corollary to this evolution: the necessity of
expanding the capacity of depots for the equipment.
‘The depots Delta and Jacques Brel are not going to
be enough. The option of creating a depot beyond
Erasme is being studied in collaboration with the
Commune of Anderlecht’, explains Alain Flausch.
On the longer term, the concept of having a single
line per axis, combined with automation, should
make it possible to fine-tune the service supplied
to the demand. This is one of the goals of the TRIAS
project which also aims to develop the network.
‘With regard to the metro, fundamentally it’s a
question of serving the districts where the density
of habitation, employment and activity is highest
and where the urban tissue has the least flexibility
for organising an efficient, high-capacity network
on the surface’, continues M. Flausch. ‘ The priority
has to be given to the completion of infrastructure
between the Gare du Nord in the north of the region
on one hand and between the station Anneessens
and the Gare du Midi on the other. Service to the
south of Brussels, towards Uccle, should also be
envisioned’.
Finally, in order to better manage the public
transport service in Brussels, the improvement of
the co-ordination of services offered by the four
current operators (STIB, SNCB, DE LIJN and TEC) is
also necessary, in his view. ‘Whether it is a question
of itineraries, schedules, rates, information, or
promotion’, he concludes.
9th Rendezvous with Progress - Perspectives and conclusion for Brussels
In the analysis of Alain Flausch, ‘The recipe is
simple. The high commercial speed is close to
30 km/h, the regularity is not inhibited by urban
congestion, arrivals are frequent, and there are
good connections with the trams and buses as well
as with the railway stations, plus there is additional
capacity thanks to new metro trains that have
been developed, new stations have been built and
various stations that have been revamped’.
While the metro is coming out of a period of
significant change, the process is far from finished.
‘As is being done by many other metro networks’,
points out Alain Flausch, ‘access control will be
installed in the Brussels metro. This system will
be combined with the new tele-ticketing service
MOBIB. This access control should contribute
significantly to reinforcing security and increasing
the sense of safety for our customers’.
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9th Rendezvous with Progress - Perspectives and conclusion for Brussels
The Metro represents nothing but benefits for city like Brussels
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Herman Van Rompuy, Prime Minister of
Belgium
A decisive position that is echoed by
Brussels Minister for Mobility,
Pascal Smet
What’s so great about the metro? No need to
convince Herman Van Rompuy, he’s already a fan.
‘When I used to hold other positions ’, he recalled
to the participants, ‘I was a devoted user of the
metro. It’s fast, efficient, and practical’.
In order to carry out the political offices he has
previously held, the Prime Minister, used to
commute to the capital regularly by train, just
like a large part of the 360,000 commuters who
come to work each day in Brussels. Naturally, once
in the city, in order to get to the rue de la Loi,
Mr. Van Rompuy would switch from one network
to another, the metro.
Today, he remains a fervent defender of public
transport and of the metro in particular. Including
when it comes to financing it.
‘Through Beliris, the federal government is making
a remarkable effort on behalf of public transport
in Brussels’, he notes. ‘The aim of this co-operative
agreement between the federal government and
the Brussels-Capital Region is to make Brussels
more attractive and to develop its role as national
and European capital city.
The metro is of crucial importance for the economic
development of the city and the entire nation.
It’s also a tool for sustainable development. For
each kilometre travelled, the emissions generated
by the metro are only 30.5 grams of CO2. That’s
significantly less than any type of car whatsoever.
What’s more, as you know, 18% of the energy used
to operate the metro network is green electricity.
This means that thanks to public transport in
Brussels, we are saving to some 100,000 tonnes of
CO2 emissions each year. At a time when more and
more people are opting for public transport, we
absolutely need to invest in it. This is unavoidable
if we want to be able to provide profitable and
sustainable mobility to the people of Brussels and
the rest of the country. ’
‘ The regional plan regarding mobility Iris 2 puts
the metro in centre stage, both in the plan for
extending the service as well as in terms of comfort,
safety and quality’, he points out. ‘ It features three
new lines: the north-south axis in the direction of
Neder-over-Heembeek via Bordet and Schaerbeek
Formation, and, on the other hand, towards Uccle;
splitting line 1 between Mérode and the Inner Ring
and the connection with the Brussels Luxembourg
train station. ’
The regional Minister was also very clear about
what it will take to realise these developments.
‘There has to be guaranteed structural financing
at the federal level for public transport in Brussels’,
he asserts and the Beliris programme needs to be
redirected back to its ‘roots’. What I’m saying is that
the Beliris resources need to be focused only on
major infrastructural work as was the case at the
beginning of the co-operative agreement that dates
from1991. This would entail avoiding the current
thinly spread funding of 125 million euros, which
means that Beliris no longer constitutes a strategic
lever but an add-on on the Brussels budget. ’
The retiring regional Minister goes even further.
Drawing inspiration from the situations in other
countries, he also proposes a new financial impulse
combining public resources with private funds and
potentially European funding. All of this could be
organised through a PPP structure (public-private
partnership) with a clear objective: ‘to see the
north-south axis developed within a period of
8 years. ’
Links to the site:
www.stib.be/metrovision-metrovisie.html?l=fr
www.mivb.be/metrovision-metrovisie.html?l=nl
www.stib.be/metrovision-metrovisie.html?l=en
This publication has been made possible by the collaboration of:
for the STIB,
Head of Network Development:
Mr. Christian Dochy
Ms Catherine Fabry
Head of the Business Unit Metro:
M. Luc Bioul
Department of General and strategic studies:
Mr. Jean-Luc de Wilde d’Estmael
Ms Marianne De Muyter
General communication committee:
Ms Françoise Ledune
Ms An Van Hamme
Mr. Chris Chevalier
Thanks to:
M. Christian Dubrulle, journalist
M. Emiel De Bolle, caricaturist
General Management of the RATP
Original text written in French
Translation into Dutch and English provided by the agency LEXITECH
Design and production: Nicolas Debuyst (ASOLAR-COMMUNICATION)
Official publisher: Jean-Pierre Alvin
STIB
Rue Royale, 76
B – 1000 Brussels
www.stib.irisnet.be
9th Rendezvous with Progress
copyright D/2009/2450/3
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We would especially like to thank our guest speakers on the
afternoon 1 April 2009 for their contributions:
Mr. Eric VERREPT, President of the Board of Directors of STIB
Mr. Pascal SMET, Minister for mobility for the Brussels Capital Region
Mr. Luc BIOUL, Metro director – STIB
Mr. Aurelio ROJO GARRIDO, Deputy Director of the Madrid Metro authority
Ms Regina FERREIRA, advisor to METROPOLITANO DE LISBOA and president of OTLIS,
ACE-Operadores de Transportes de Lisboa
Mr. Gerhard SCHENK, Strategic and Controlling Manager (HAMBURGER HOCHBAHN AG)
Mr. Giampaolo CODELUPPI, head of strategic planning (AT Milan)
Mr. Bernard RIVALTA, President of SYTRAL - Lyon
Mr. Rainer MÜLLER, member of the senior Management at VAG Nuremberg
Mr. Michael PELLOT, Director of Research & Development and International Affairs (T M Barcelona)
Mr. Alain DENEEF, President of Aula Magna
Mr. Hugues DUCHATEAU, Managing Director of STRATEC
Ms. Cathy MACHARIS, President of the Regional Committee on Mobility
Mr. Laurent DAUBY, Director of the Union Internationale des Transports Publics
Mr. Mathieu SONCK, Secretary General of Inter-Environnement Brussels
Mr. Olivier WILLOCX, Managing Director of Brussels Enterprises Commerce & Industry (BECI)
Mr. Alain FLAUSCH, Chief Executive Officer STIB
9th Rendezvous with Progress
Mr. Herman VAN ROMPUY, Prime Minister of Belgium
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This brochure is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Olivier COLLA, Director of General and Strategic
Studies for the STIB.