In the first two decades of the 21st Century, more than 160 new tramway and light rail systems around the world have opened to passengers. This pace of openings has been increasing, with an average of 11 new systems per year over the past five years, as more and more cities recognise the benefits.
In this study, the author will provide a continent-by-continent overview of the new tramways and light rail systems planned to open in 2021 (13 in total), comparing these figures with the new lines that have opened in the last five years as a benchmark.
The report focuses on cities where the installation of tram or LRT lines is a new development, where new types are being employed, and standalone lines in areas that already feature rail-based mass transit.
Global Tramway and Light Rail Prospects is broken down into the following segments:
1. Africa
2. Asia
3. Europe
4. Oceania
5. North America
6. South America
Containing information on the following cities:
1. Algeria
2. Australia
3. Bolivia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Colombia
8. Denmark
9. Ecuador
10. Ethiopia
11. Finland
12. France
13. Hungary
14. Italy
15. Luxembourg
16. Mauritius
17. Netherlands
18. New Zealand
19. North Korea
20. Poland
21. Qatar
22. Spain
23. Sweden
24. Taiwan
25. Turkey
26. UK
27. USA
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Africa
3. Asia
4. Europe
5. Oceania
6. North America
7. South America
8. Tramway and Light Rail openings 2015-2020
9. Beyond 2021
10. References & Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
In the first two decades of the 21st Century, more than 160 new tramway and light rail systems around the world have opened to passengers. This pace of openings has been increasing, with an average of 11 new systems per year over the past five years, as more and more cities recognise the benefits.
Continued growth in automobile usage is not an efficient use of urban space in our already crowded towns and cities. Urban gridlock conditions cost the UK an estimated GBP6.9bn in 2019, similar figures for German cities indicate EUR2.8bn, while in the US citizens lost 99 hours per year due to road congestion, at a consequent impact on the economy of nearly USD88bn per annum.
The further increasing importance of climate considerations in our everyday thinking show that ‘business as usual’ solutions - with a reliance on private travel modes - are unsustainable in both socio-economic and environmental terms.
For the purposes of this latest paper, the term light rail (LRT) is used to describe any fixed track transport system that runs within an urban or interurban environment with the exception of full-segregated heavy metros that use technology more akin to main line rail networks.
Companies Mentioned
- Alstom
- Brookville Equipment Corporation
- CRRC Qingdao Sifang
- CRRC Zhuzhou
- Dallas Area Rapid Transit
- Entreprise Metro d’Alger
- Ferrovial
- Hamad Group
- KC Streetcar
- Keolis
- Kim Chong-t’ae Electric Locomotive Works
- Nottingham Express Transit
- RATP Dev
- RENFE
- RKH Qitarat
- Shanghai Shentong Metro Group
- Stadler Deutschland
- Stadler Pankow
- Tranvia Zaragoza
- World Health Organisation
- Škoda
