Extension of the Bordeaux tramway: first rail welding in Mérignac in the presence of elected officials
The ETF Caténaires agency is carrying out the extension of tram line A for Bordeaux Métropole. The 5 km line will include five new stations and will provide a direct link between Bordeaux city centre and Mérignac airport.
1stsuccessfulweld in the presence of elected officials
On Wednesday 7 July 2021, the construction teams welcomed the following guests to witness the first of 743 welds for the future extension:
- The Prefect of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region,
- The Mayor of Mérignac, President of Bordeaux Métropole,
- The Mayor of Parempuyre, Vice-President of Bordeaux Métropole in charge of public transport,
- The Mayor of Bègles, Vice-President of Bordeaux Métropole in charge of mobility strategy.
This was an opportunity to highlight the importance of this extension in improving the metropolitan area’s transport network and connecting the various transport infrastructures.
A successful start to the project
After a preparation phase, the operational teams from ETF’s Urban Transport Major Projects agency began work on the rail section of the project on 21 June 2021. They are now preparing to begin the summer phase, which will consist of preparing the junction between the existing line and the future extension.
Commissioning scheduled for 2023
Due to the health crisis, supply difficulties for certain engineering structures have led to a delay in the commissioning initially scheduled for September 2022.