Light Rail Transit Association   URBAN TRANSIT NEWS 2005

Second Zuid Holland light rail line The Dutch province of Zuid Holland, which is already promoting the Rijn-Gouwe project to convert lightly-used NS tracks for light rail service, has announced a second light rail project. It involves the 49-km Dordrecht-Geldermalsen line, electrified by NS in the 1980s. Rebaptised the Merwede-Linge line (after the two rivers it crosses), it has lost 12% of its passengers since 2002, carrying just 12 000/day. The light rail project includes doubling the frequency to every 15 minutes, new stations and passing loops costing EUR 27 million. New rolling stock similar to the Bombardier-built A32-class low-floor cars will be acquired after 2007.

6 April 2005