It will have lasted six long years and cost 285 million euros, but it is now finished… The tram extension project in Angers is in its home straight. By July 8, the network will have two additional lines that will provide coverage in the four corners of the city. And since Monday, a full-scale test phase has started.
Successful exam! For the first time, the tramway crosses the Pont des Arts et Métiers, specially designed for the occasion. So, slowly but surely, he heads for the future stop, called the Quai.
A test scrutinized in the smallest details by engineers.
I measure the gaps, the spaces between the platform and the door, to the nearest mm. They must be less than 50 mm
Quentin CambodiaInfrastructure engineer (Egis)
“I look at the gauge to see if there are any conflicts, especially with the panels. And we also check that it is driving at constant speed to be sure that there are no problems”explains Quentin Cambonie, infrastructure engineer, who adds: “I also measure the gaps, these are the gaps between the platform and the door and they are all less than or equal to 50 mm, so everything is good!”.
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And from the driver’s cabin, even felt: for the moment nothing to report. “Me, I’m more on the lookout for any anomalies in the behavior of the train. I haven’t detected anything in particular. For the moment, it’s not bad”, believes Raphaël Antico, deputy head of the centralized command post (Irigo).
This introduction of the tram obviously did not go unnoticed. Some came on purpose to immortalize it, like Jean-Marie: “The tram interests me… I had attended the first tests 12 years ago and therefore, I wanted to see the first tests today. I took the opportunity to take a photo of the train”.
The tram tests, a new decisive stage, before the opening of the new lines B and C.
They will extend over several weeks and end with what is called a blank run.
“There, we are going to test the installations, our procedures, train our drivers so as to be ready for operation in July”, explains Jacques Conti, Project Manager Tram RATP Dev.
These new lines (B and C), which represent a 10 km section in the direction of Belle-Beille and Monplaisir, will make it possible to obtain a complete network of the city of Angers… 20 new trains will thus be added to the 17 already in service.
The number of inhabitants served will double, bringing the total number to 100,000, or 35% of the population of Angers Loire Métropole.
video duration: 00h01mn55s
The tramway extension project in Angers is in its home stretch. Since Monday, a full-scale test phase has started
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The report by Laura Striano, Jérémy Armand and Wiliam Sabas
