Siemens Mobility Wins Edinburgh Tram Contract

Siemens Mobility has won a contract to supply technology for the extension of the Edinburgh Tram from York Place to Newhaven.

Edinburgh’s current tram line runs from Edinburgh Airport to York Place. The extension to Newhaven will mark the completion of Phase 1a of the city’s tram project.

Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract covering electrification, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), telecoms, and tram and road traffic signalling. The extension to Newhaven is scheduled to open in 2023.

Edinburgh Tram

The project’s main contractor is a joint venture comprising Sacryr, Farrans and Neopul. Siemens Mobility will work with the JV to create the 4.69km route to Newhaven. The double track line will feature eight stops. Two substations will provide the traction power for the entire extended section.

William Wilson, CEO, 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.

Siemens Mobility already worked on the initial phase of the Edinburgh Tram and will now extend the electrification, SCADA, telecoms and signalling systems. It will install new and modify existing traffic signals at 30 road junctions on the route, using extra-low-voltage controllers and tram signals. These signals are connected to Edinburgh’s traffic control facilities as well as to the trams’ signal technology. This means trams can be given priority at junctions.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, 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.