Valenciennes

Overview

Valenciennes, a former coal mining center of northeastern France, was the last French town to close its heritage tramway network in 1966. But even after closing the last of the coal mines, there was still 350,000 peoples living in Valenciennes and suburbs by 2001. The local council officially approved a "Plan de développement urbain" (plan for urban development) on February 21, 2001, which included the building of a new network of tramways. Works started in the summer of 2003.

The first section from Université to Dutemple (9.5 km in length with 19 stations) was inaugurated June 16, 2006 and began revenue service August 3, 2006. Phase II of Line 1 to Denain (8.8 km) was inaugurated August 31, 2007, and began revenue service September 3 2007. For the most part, Line 1 of this new network will take over an old mining railway line from Somain to Anzin, Vieux Condé and Peruweltz (one of the oldest railways of France, opened in 1838). The Saint Waast station was built directly on an old mining railway station site, and the main shops of the company are also on this site.

Cost of the construction is EUR 300,000,000, in two phases. The old municipal company of transports, the "Semurval", was replaced by Transvilles, December 31 2005 (under order of the local transport authority, "SITURV", Syndicat Intercommunal des Transports Urbains de la Région de Valenciennes).

Works on Line 2 (from Anzin to Vieux-Condé) started in 2008, and this line is supposed to be open in 2011. Later, an extension is planed from Vieux-Condé to Quiévrain, in Belgium.

The Transvilles rolling stock consists of 21 Citadis trams from Alstom, with the last one being delivered February 24, 2006. The trams have five articulated sections for a total length of 33m (capacity 295 people, 48 seated).