Benelux Fare collection I


Stib plans to upgrade the congested pre-metro line between Albert and North station to a heavy metro line.


early hours of the morning. “The big challenge with this project is keeping the lines running,” explains Stib CEO Mr Brieuc de Meeûs. “Because of the level of traffic it will be absolutely necessary to keep the lines open and operating normally during the conversion programme.”


De Meeûs says Stib hopes to convert lines 2 and 6 to driverless operation between 2020 and 2025. “This is the


Brussels Hauts de Jette


Heysel Roi Baudouin Jette Berchem


Groot Bijgaarden


Beekkant West De Brouckère Anneessens


Marius Renard


Erasme N Vanderkindere Wiener 0 km 1 IRJ 24 Stalle Drogenbos Van Haelan Boondael Fort Jacu


Metro open Metro planned Pre-metro open Pre-metro to be converted to metro Tram open Tram planned


South St Guidon Louise


Porte de Hal


Stephanie Albert Bailli Delta Herman Debroux Simonis Yser Esplanade


Stuyvenbergh Bockstael


Belgica North Rogier Botanique


Central Paro


Arts-Loi


Porte de Merode Namur


Montgomery Bolleau


Stockel Ban Eik


Tervuren Woluwe Diamant Roodebeek


Schaerbeek Tilleul


Demolder Pavillion


logical next step because the signalling on these lines will be obsolete by then. Driverless trains offer us a very large increase in capacity, and that is a priority on the metro network.”


Pre-metro to metro


Peak capacity has also become a serious constraint on the north-south pre-metro lines, lines 3 and 4, between


N addition to building new capacity, Stib is working on the expansion of smartcard ticketing, and this year carriers of the Belgian National Railways (SNCB) Mobib Card, launched in 2008, will be able to use their card on the public transport network in Brussels. “This is an important step because it means Stib will be integrated with the national train operator and passengers won’t see any difference when they move between the two systems,” says de Meeûs. Stib is also working with other public transport operators in the Brussels region to implement an integrated tariff system. “We’re working very hard on this with our partners, and a solution is coming,” says de Meeûs. “In addition to buses, trains, and trams, the integrated smartcard will cover other services such as parking and bike hire. It will be a very elegant solution.”


Nato Bordet Eurocontrol


North station and Albert. Despite the introduction of 43m-long LRVs with wider doors, consolidation of tram routes using the tunnel and the operation of 2 minute 30 second headways, de Meeûs says the line is approaching saturation point. Technical studies are underway into the conversion of the pre-metro into an automated north-south metro line, which will include the construction of a 4.5km northern extension to serve the densely-populated district of Schaerbeek-Evere. A new metro tunnel will be required on the central section of the route between Anneessens and South station and a new tram tunnel will be constructed beneath Fonsylaan to replace the Constitution tunnel near South station, the oldest tram tunnel in Brussels, which dates back to 1958. Construction of the extension and conversion of the pre-metro is expected to begin in 2018 and the ƒ570m project is due to be completed in 2022. Stib estimates that the northern extension would be used by around 6000 passengers per hour per direction. Light rail projects also feature


prominently in Stib’s investment plans. The 3.3km Line 9 will run largely on a dedicated alignment between Simonis metro station, Brussels Hospital, and an interchange with the planned RER station at Hauts de Jette. Construction is expected to begin later this year on the ƒ50m project, which will take two years to complete.


IRJ January 2014


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