DIF, an independent infrastructure fund manager, has announced that the Tram’Ardent consortium has been selected as the preferred bidder for the availability based public-private partnership contract, involving the design, financing, construction and maintenance of the first tramway line in Liège, Belgium.
The consortium consists of DIF Infrastructure V, together with its partners Colas Projects, Colas Belgium, Colas Rail Belgium, and Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). The authority partner is the Walloon Transport Operator.
With a total length of 7.2 miles, 90 percent of which is in a reserved lane section, Liège's first tramway line will serve 21 stations, connecting the Sclessin multimodal station, in the southwest of Liège, to the city of Herstal, in the northeast, via the high-speed train station and Saint Lambert Square.
The consortium is responsible for the design, financing, construction and maintenance of the tramway. The consortium will be in charge of the design and build of the electrified rail network, the creation of a maintenance and storage center, and the development of 149.1 square miles of surrounding urban space. CAF will, in particular, supply the rolling stock as part of the consortium.
Closing is expected before the end of the year and construction is to be completed by the second half of 2022.
