Technology supplied by Siemens Mobility Limited will feature across the City of Edinburgh Council’s Trams to Newhaven project. This follows a contract award covering electrification, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), telecoms and tram and road traffic signalling.
The project’s completion in 2023 will further improve accessibility in Edinburgh between Newhaven, the city centre and the airport, making it even easier for people to travel using a low-carbon mode of transport. It will also contribute to improved air quality, increasing the opportunities for people to access more parts of the city without travelling by car, more easily.
Siemens Mobility will be working in partnership with the main contractor, a joint venture between Sacryr, Farrans and Neopul, on the 2.9 mile (4.69 km) route connecting Leith and Newhaven to the end of the current line at York Place. The new double track line will include eight stops, with two substations providing the traction power for the whole route extension.
William Wilson, CEO of Siemens Mobility Limited, said: “This project will deliver a range of benefits to people living in and travelling around the city of Edinburgh.
“It will make a significant contribution to the continued regeneration of parts of the city, as well as supporting the City Council’s decarbonisation strategy and its commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030. The project also demonstrates our ability to deliver an integrated range of intelligent infrastructure solutions from across our rail infrastructure and intelligent traffic systems product portfolios.”
Building on the work it delivered for the first phase of the network, Siemens Mobility will be extending the electrification, SCADA, telecoms and signalling systems, as well as installing new, and modifying existing, traffic signals at 30 road intersections along the route, using extra-low voltage controllers and tram signals. These are not only linked to the city’s traffic control facilities but also to the signal technology of the trams, enabling priority to be provided to trams at junctions on the network.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, said: “This major project will bring significant benefits to the city, providing sustainable, efficient transport and opening the area up for economic development. We look forward to seeing Siemens Mobility deliver essential components of the infrastructure.”
