More articles like this...
Light rail/tram, Other, Europe
How French cities re-kindled their passion for the tram
Prior to WW2 no less than 48 French cities had tramways. After falling to just 3 in 1984, the total has soared back to 19. International transport consultant and commentator Kenneth Lin considers this remarkable revival
To avoid cluttering Place Masséna in Nice with overhead catenary, LRVs operate under battery power through this square.
The iconic canopy of Homme de Fer Station in Strasbourg is a landmark proudly featured in local postcards. This is an example of reclaiming street space from cars.
Kenneth Lin has worked for 30 years in transportation planning in both the transit provider and consulting sides. He is currently employed in the New York office of Parsons Brinckerhoff. He has visited 128 countries worldwide.Here in the United States, French cities have a romantic allure, as indeed they seem to have the world over. Ask someone if they would be interested in a vacation to Paris or to the urban centres of the French Riviera, and likely you’ll get a very favourable response.
Why is this?
My theory is that many French cities offer things that people crave when they want the best in urban life. Cities such as Paris, Nice, Lyon, Montpellier, Strasbourg—to name just a few—are...
Join TransportXtra subscribers and read this article in full...
|
|
||
30 days
|
90 days
Save 50% |
1 YearSave 75% |
£30
|
£60 |
£90 |
|
+£6 VAT |
+£12 VAT |
+£18 VAT |
An online subscription to TransportXtra works out at less than 24p per day for all the latest issues and transport intelligence |
||
 |
||
New Transit individual subscriptions
Widely read by rail, light rail and bus operators, local and central governments, the city, consultants and suppliers, New Transit delivers comprehensive passenger transport analysis and comment.
New Transit magazine is published by Contact Plus 24 Limited. Please subscribe via their dedicated website.
Not ready to subscribe? Take a 2 week free trial
