Four years after its launch, how do you rate the integration of the tram in the capital?
André von der Marck: We have succeeded in bringing the tram in gradually. By working in three phases, we have given everyone time to discover and adapt to it. As a reminder, the first stage was the construction of the section on the Kirchberg plateau, starting in 2015, that entered into service on 10 December 2017. The route was then extended to the Place de l'Étoile, with service starting in the summer of 2018. The third stage was the arrival of the tram at the station on 13 December 2020.
However, at the beginning, there were some fears...
Indeed, many people feared that we would have to build a huge site to install the tramway in Luxembourg. But, in the end, it was gradually integrated into the city thanks to the phased construction project.
We still have capacity. But 80,000 passengers a day is still a good number.
Today, the tram seems to have been adopted by the inhabitants of the capital and users. Do you have any figures on passenger numbers?
Our statistics reflect this progressive strategy. On the first section, in Kirchberg, we had between 15,000 and 17,000 passengers per day. By extending the tramway route to the Place de l'Étoile, we reached between 30,000 and 35,000 passengers per day. Then there was the [covid] confinement, where we dropped to around 2,000 passengers per day during the first lockdown. Then, when we arrived at the station, we doubled the number of passengers again with a peak, a few days ago, of 78,000 passengers per day.
Is the increase in passenger numbers due to more trains on a longer route?
Every time you increase the length of the line, you put more trains into service, and therefore the number of seats available. What also affects the capacity of the tram is the number of times the same seat is occupied on the entire tram route. The longer the tram route, the more seats are available, because passengers generally take the tram to make an average of four to five stops. So, with a route of 15 stations, we can estimate that the same seat is occupied three times over the entire route. We have also gradually increased the frequency of our trams. At the beginning we ran every six minutes, then every five. And now we are at four minutes.
Are you at full capacity?
We can still accommodate more passengers. We still have capacity. But 80,000 passengers a day is still a good number.
Of all the accidents we have had, the tram has not been at fault. We have suffered from the disregard of traffic lights by other road users.
How do you explain the popularity of the tram?
The first success was the gradual introduction of the tram. The fact that it was free helped, but people also understood very well how to use the tram and how it works. Behaviour is changing. Today, you can leave your car at the Luxexpo car park, then take the tram to do some shopping. Then return to your car and take the tram back to the city centre or the station to do more shopping. The tram has changed the way we experience the city. The tram is like a moving pavement. In fact, we have noticed that the busiest areas are between the Royal-Hamilius and Place de Paris stations, whereas you might have thought that the greatest number of people would be from the station to the Royal-Hamilius.
Have there been many accidents since the tram was launched?
Of all the accidents we have had, the tram has not been at fault. We have suffered from the disregard of traffic lights by other road users. Fortunately, I am pleased to say that we have not had any fatal accidents. We compare ourselves with the major tramway networks in Europe, and we are very well placed in terms of accidents. We have fewer accidents than most large cities. But it's true that when a tram has an accident, it prevents the line from operating, and therefore impacts the other trains. But each time, we try to find solutions to keep the line running and we provide solutions to reduce the inconvenience for passengers.
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In front of the station, the tram drivers sometimes have to be very vigilant, because pedestrians often cross in front of the train at the last moment...
We have six line agents that we send out to make sure that the flow with the passengers goes well. Indeed, we often send them to the station. But the tram has only been in operation for a year now, and people still have to acquire good habits. But above all I can see that the infrastructure in front of the station has been well thought out. When getting off the train, the user in a hurry does not have to cross the tracks to get to the tram, as the tram platform is directly accessible from the station forecourt.
Few people know that the sound of the tram's bell is the same bell as the first tram in Luxembourg, which stopped running in 1964.
What is the next step in the tram's construction?
The next step is to extend the tram route as far as the Lycée de Bonnevoie(the station should be operational in September 2022). Then, the opening of section D towards the Cloche d'Or. There are still and the schedule for work on the N3. But we are still counting on the project being operational by the end of 2023. On the other hand, the construction of a bridge over the motorway so that the tram can head towards Findel will start around 15 January. We expect the tram to arrive at the airport in 2024.
Can you reveal something about the tram that is not known?
It's no secret, but not many people know that the bell of the tram is the same bell as the first tram in Luxembourg that stopped running in 1964. We recorded it in the tram museum, where there is still a tram from that time.