Tait helps to bring trams back to Edinburgh
1st Jan 2010
Edinburgh, in common with several other UK cities and many other leading conurbations around the world, has decided to re-introduce trams as part of its strategy to improve public transport in Edinburgh. Tait is pleased to announce that it will form a key part of this project, as it has been awarded the contract to supply the radio communications system for the new Edinburgh system.
The first Edinburgh tram network was inaugurated in November 1871 and provided an excellent service to the citizens of the city and its surrounding area for 85 years, until the service was discontinued when car ownership started to grow rapidly in the post-War years. Now, as reducing congestion and pursuing “greener” options become the key drivers behind many public transport initiatives, the decision has been made to re-introduce trams to Edinburgh.
As the city’s population expands, the city transport authorities have decided that a tram line is the best way to quickly, consistently and efficiently transport both visitors and commuters across the city in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way. Trams are also often seen by car users as being a more attractive alternative than buses and it is hoped that this will lead to increased ridership amongst those who currently use cars.
The new line runs from Edinburgh Airport in the west to Newhaven in the east and provides links to key locations such as Princes Street, the main shopping thoroughfare, Waverley, the main railway station, Murrayfield, the rugby stadium, and the port of Leith.
Construction on the route, which has 22 stops along its 18kms of track, began in Spring 2007 and is scheduled for completion in late 2010, with commercial operations commencing in 2011. The system will feature a total of 27 trams, each of which can carry 250 people. The design, construction and maintenance of the Edinburgh Tram network have been entrusted to a consortium consisting of Siemens and Bilfinger Berger.
As the partner responsible for the technical elements of the infrastructure, Siemens was responsible for choosing the radio system for the trams. Following an intensive selection process, Siemens awarded the contract to Tait Radio Communications. The Tait solution was a 4-site MPT 1327 trunked radio network providing VHF radio coverage across the entire route.
As well as providing the infrastructure at all four sites and the network control infrastructure for the equipment room at the Gogar depot, Tait is also supplying 27 mobile radios for installation in the trams’ cabs and 130 portable radios for use by inspectors and support staff, all of which will operate on the Tait network. The Tait mobiles are TM8255 high-specification, dual mode models, with a remote head option so that the radio can be operated from either end of the tram, whilst the portables are TP8140s from Tait’s TP8100 range.
Commenting on the deal, Dave West, Tait’s Business Development Manager for Transport Solutions said; “This is an important project for Edinburgh, for Siemens and for Tait. We have a long tradition of supplying robust, reliable communications solutions for public transport operators and their integrators. This project brought challenges in terms of both the topography of the terrain to be covered and also the physical integration required – and Tait was more than able to meet them! We are pleased to have been awarded this contract and look forward to working with Siemens and Edinburgh Trams as the project advances.”