View source for Trams in Liège

{{Infobox rail line
| name            = Tramway de Liège
| color           = 
| logo            = 
| logo_width      = 
| logo_alt        = 
| image           = 
| image_width     = 
| image_alt       = 
| caption         = 
| type            = [[Light rail]]
| system          = 
| status          = Under construction
| locale          = [[Liège]], Belgium
| start           = Standard, Sclessin [[:fr:Sclessin|(fr)]]<ref name="route" />
| end             = Coronmeuse [[:fr:Coronmeuse|(fr)]]<ref name="route" />
| stations        = 23<ref name="route" />
| routes          = 
| daily_ridership = 
| planopen        = January 2025<ref name="RTBF-2023-06-23" />
| close           = 
| owner           = 
| operator        = [[Transport En Commun|TEC]]<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18" />
| character       = 
| depot           = {{abbr|Centre de maintenance et remisage|Maintenance and Storage Centre}}<ref name="route">{{cite web |url=https://letram.be/le-trace/ |title=Tout savoir sur le tracé |website=Le tram |accessdate=2023-10-21 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>
| stock           = [[CAF Urbos]]
| linelength      = {{convert|11.7|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="route" />
| tracklength     = 
| tracks          = 
| gauge           = {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}
| electrification = <!--{{750 V DC|conductor=overhead}}-->
| signalling      = 
| speed           = 19–20 km/h<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |url=https://letram.be/chiffres-cles/ |title=Le tram, en quelques chiffres |website=Le tram |accessdate=2023-10-21 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>
| elevation       = 
| map             = 
| map_state       = <!--collapsed-->
}}
'''Trams in Liège''', Belgium, date back to [[horsecar]]s which were replaced by electric trams starting in 1893. Trams in Liège were abandoned by the end of 1967. However, trams will make a comeback in the form of the Liège tramway (French: ''tramway de Liège'') in 2025.

The Liège tramway is a [[light-rail]] line under construction to connect the communities of Sclessin [[:fr:Sclessin|(fr)]] and Coronmeuse [[:fr:Coronmeuse|(fr)]] along the [[Meuse]] passing by [[Liège-Guillemins railway station]] and [[Place Saint-Lambert]] within the city. The line will also have a branch to Bressoux [[:fr:Bressoux|(fr)]] where the line's maintenance and storage center is located.<ref name="route" /> {{as of|2024|5}}, the line is expected to be put into service in January [[2025]].<ref name="RTBF-2023-06-23" /> The line will be operated in a [[public–private partnership]], whereby the private partner Tram'Ardent maintains the trams and infrastructure and the publicly owned [[Transport En Commun|TEC]] operates the trams.<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18" />

==History==

===Early years===
[[File:INCONNU - LIEGE - La Poste.JPG|thumb|Trams in front of the post office in Liège (1909)]]
[[File:Liege.RELSE.TULE.SNCV.png|thumb|The tram network in Liège (1939)]]

The first electric tram service in Liège, which was also the first in Belgium, opened to the public on 9 August 1893, connecting the northern Coronmeuse district [[:fr:Coronmeuse|(fr)]] with [[Herstal]], to the east of the city. Only {{convert|200|m}} of the line actually ran in the city centre. On 22 October 1896, the two principal horse-powered tramlines were converted to electric power, forming an electric tramline that crossed the city centre. In 1897, a line was added connecting [[Chênée]] (then considered a separate town) with the city centre, and [[Angleur]] received a tram connection in 1905. A fourth line was also installed that year for the [[Liège International (1905)|World's Fair]] in Liège.

An aspect of tram operations in Liège was the large number of competing operators. By the start of the 20th century, there had been some consolidation of the businesses involved, but in 1905, there were still six different organisations operating trams in the city, some in public ownership and some privately owned. In addition to the electric trams, the lines were also used by steam trams at this time. It was only in 1927 that the Liège tram network was "unified".<ref name=tramselonmuseeLuik43>{{cite web|url=http://www.musee-transports.be/fr/musee/collection/22-motrice-43.html|title=Motrice 43 .... TRAMWAYS EST-OUEST DE LIEGE ET EXTENSIONS (E.O.)|publisher=Musée des Transports en commun du pays de Liège, Liège|accessdate=15 July 2015}}</ref>

===Decline and closure===
The tram collection at the {{Interlanguage link multi|Liège Public Transport Museum|fr|3=Musée des transports en commun de Liège}} contains numerous tramcars that predate the [[Second World War]] and some that predate the [[First World War]], which were decommissioned only in the mid 1960s.<ref name=tramselonmuseeLuik45>{{cite web|url=http://www.musee-transports.be/fr/musee/collection/23-motrice-45.html|title=Motrice B45 .... RAILWAYS ECONOMIQUES DE LIEGE-SERAING ET EXTENSIONS (R.E.L.S.E.)|publisher=Musée des Transports en commun du pays de Liège, Liège|accessdate=15 July 2015 |lang=FR}}</ref> Evidence is sparse of any trams having been added to the city's fleet after the 1930s, although most of the tramcars were subject to at least one major overhaul or rebuild exercise during their service.<ref name=tramselonmuseeLuik45/> In view of the challenging topography (at least by Belgian standards) of Liège, and the visible absence of investment, the last tram services were withdrawn in November 1967.<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18" />

===Metro aborted===
Major investment in a Liège underground Metro system was envisaged and construction eventually began towards the end of the 1970s. A tunnel was started, but the Metro never saw the light of day. The tunnel section that was completed enjoys enduring notoriety as one of Belgium's [[white elephant]]s. It is used for storage.<ref name=metrothatwasnt>{{cite web |publisher=RTBF|date=4 August 2011 |url=http://www.rtbf.be/info/medias/dossier/cannes-2011-les-belges/detail_le-metro-de-liege-1986?id=6549783|title=Le métro de Liège (1986)|accessdate=15 July 2015}}</ref>

===Return===
[[File:CAF Urbos in Liège, 2020.jpg|thumb|A [[CAF Urbos]] mock-up for the new tramway, displayed in the Liège Public Transport Museum]]

In 2008, regional political leaders generally agreed on reintroducing trams to Liège in order to address the city's traffic saturation issues, particularly in its low lying central parts by the river [[Meuse]].<ref name=UrbAgora>{{cite web|url=http://urbagora.be/IMG/pdf/20080722_tram.pdf|title=Quel tram pour Liège?, Conférence de presse de l'ASBL urbAgora|publisher=urbAgora, Liège|date=22 July 2008|accessdate=15 July 2015 |lang=FR}}</ref> Extensive investigation and public consultation followed, before the first line's route was fixed in October 2011.<ref name=linefixed>{{cite web|url=http://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/detail_liege-le-trace-du-futur-tram-a-ete-adopte?id=6956723|title=Liège: le tracé du futur tram a été adopté |author=M. Gretry|publisher=RTBF|date=21 October 2011|accessdate=15 July 2015 |lang=FR}}</ref> The regional government of Wallonia gave the final go-ahead at the end of 2011, although at that stage, it was stated that further discussion remained necessary on project funding.<ref name=TramLiege>{{cite web|url=http://tramliege.be/actualite/une-decision-sur-le-tram-a-liege.html|title=Une décision sur le tram à Liège|date=22 December 2011|publisher=TramLiege.be|accessdate=15 July 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715162159/http://tramliege.be/actualite/une-decision-sur-le-tram-a-liege.html|archivedate=15 July 2015 |lang=FR}}</ref> In the end, the decision was taken to proceed on the basis of a [[public–private partnership]], inspired by agreements used for recent investments for the [[London Underground]].

====Revised plan====
The line was originally planned to be {{convert|19.1|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, comprising a {{convert|17.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} length from [[Seraing]] to [[Herstal]] and a further {{convert|1.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} for a short branch connection to Bressoux [[:fr:Bressoux|(fr)]]. The plan was revised to build the line in stages initially only from Sclessin [[:fr:Sclessin|(fr)]] to Coronmeuse, serving 21 tram stops, covering approximately {{convert|11|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The projected cost of €315 million compares with an estimated cost of €484 million for building the entire line at once. The decision not to proceed at once with the full line drew criticism.<ref name=LeSoir22dec2011>{{cite web|url=http://archives.lesoir.be/politique-reactions-vis-a-vis-d-antoine-%AB-un_t-20111221-01QGVJ.html?query=heindrichs&firstHit=0&by=10&sort=datedesc&when=-1&queryor=heindrichs&pos=0&all=113&nav=1|title="Un tracé du tram réduit: du délire!"|author=Philippe Bodeux|publisher=Le Soir, Bruxelles|date=22 December 2011|accessdate=15 July 2015|lang=FR|archive-date=7 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707212113/http://archives.lesoir.be/politique-reactions-vis-a-vis-d-antoine-%AB-un_t-20111221-01QGVJ.html?query=heindrichs&firstHit=0&by=10&sort=datedesc&when=-1&queryor=heindrichs&pos=0&all=113&nav=1|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="RTL">{{cite web |title=Le réseau de tram verra bien le jour à Liège: voici les détails du projet |url=http://www.rtl.be/info/regions/liege/le-reseau-de-tram-verra-bien-le-jour-a-liege-voici-les-details-du-projet-890442.aspx |website=RTL |date=2017-02-10 |accessdate=22 October 2017 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>

====Third Eurostat rejection====
By August 2013, tenders for the construction had been received from three consortia. That was narrowed down to two on 3 April 2014, when the remaining contenders were invited to submit their final bids for 15 September 2014. The final decision was announced on 10 December 2014, in favour of the so-called "Mobiliège" consortium (ALSTOM – BAM PPP PGGM – DG Infra).

The signing of the DBFM (Design, Build, Finance, Maintain) contract was planned for the spring of 2015. After a preparatory studies phase, construction was to start in the autumn. However, in March 2015, Eurostat, the European body for the control of accounting standards, reviewed the financing dossier for the Liège tram, and in July 2015, for the second time and following changes to the file, issued a negative opinion.

On 16 January 2016, the City of Liège announced that it has received a negative opinion from Eurostat for the third time, and launched a citizen petition in favor of the tram.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eurostat recale le financement du tram de Liège - La Ville de Liège lance une pétition en faveur du|url=https://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/eurostat-recale-le-financement-du-tram-de-liege-la-ville-de-liege-lance-une-petition-en-faveur-du-projet-menace/article-belga-451075.html|date=2016-01-16|website=Site-LeVif-FR|access-date=2020-05-06 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>

====Second public contract and award to Tram'Ardent====
A new call for tenders was published in March 2016, and by 5 October 2017, two bids had been received, from Alstom in France and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in Spain. On 10 February 2017, Eurostat approved the financial package.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonne nouvelle pour le tram de Liège|url=https://www.lecho.be/economie-politique/belgique/wallonie/bonne-nouvelle-pour-le-tram-de-liege/9861516.html|date=2017-02-10|website=L'Echo|language=fr|access-date=2020-05-06 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The final choice of the manufacturer should have been made in the first quarter of 2018. However, the transfer of the TEC group to a Walloon Transport Operator (OTW) entailed a further postponement. On 19 September 2018, [[Opérateur de transport de Wallonie]] (OTW – new name of the SRWT) awarded the contract to the Tram'Ardent consortium comprising CAF, which will supply the [[CAF Urbos|Urbos]] vehicles, [[Colas Group|Colas]], which will build the infrastructure, and DIF, which will provide financing. As part of a [[Public-Private Partnership]], Tram'Ardent will finance, design and build the tramway, and maintain its trams and infrastructure for 31 years. [[Transport En Commun|TEC]], a brand name for the OTW, will operate the trams.<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18" /><ref name="DIF-2019-01-31">{{cite web |url=https://www.dif.eu/news/dif-consortium-reaches-financial-close-on-liege-tram-ppp/ |title=DIF consortium reaches financial close on Liège Tram PPP |publisher=DIF |date=2019-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610051005/https://www.dif.eu/news/dif-consortium-reaches-financial-close-on-liege-tram-ppp/ | archive-date=2023-06-10 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

By 2019, construction of the line was underway, but would experience various setbacks and delays.<ref name="LeSoir-2023-10-10" /> In 2023, the region of [[Wallonia]] would pay Tram'Ardent €79 million to compensate it for expenses related to COVID-19, which delayed the project by 2 years and 3 months.<ref name="RTBF-2023-06-23">{{cite web |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/nouveau-calendrier-pour-le-tram-de-liege-vers-une-mise-en-service-en-janvier-2025-11217779 |title=Nouveau calendrier pour le tram de Liège : vers une mise en service en janvier 2025 |website=rtbf.be |date=2023-06-23 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>

On October 9, 2023, the first run of a tram outside the depot took place. The tram made a test run from Bressoux to Coronmeuse, the line's northern terminus. The test run was mostly carried out a low speed, but at one point during the trip, the tram accelerated to 50&nbsp;km/h in order to test its brakes. This was a first step in testing all 20 delivered trams.<ref name="LeSoir-2023-10-10">{{cite web |url=https://www.lesoir.be/542519/article/2023-10-10/le-tram-de-liege-effectue-sa-premiere-sortie-photos-et-video?referer=%2Farchives%2Frecherche%3Fdatefilter%3Danytime%26sort%3Dweight%26word%3Dtram%2520Li%25C3%25A8ge |title=Le tram de Liège a effectué sa première sortie |publisher=Le Soir |date=2023-10-10 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>

==Modern tramway==
===Description===
[[File:Tram_Liège_plan.svg|thumb|right|Map of tramway in Liège]]
The Liège tramway will consist of a single line running roughly north–south along the west side of the Meuse River between the communities of Sclessin [[:fr:Sclessin|(fr)]] and Coronmeuse [[:fr:Coronmeuse|(fr)]]. There is also a {{convert|1.3|km|mi|abbr=on|adj=on}} branch crossing the Atlas Bridge [[:fr:Pont Atlas|(fr)]] to the east side of the Meuse to access the tram depot in Bressoux [[:fr:Bressoux|(fr)]]. The line will be {{convert|11.7|km|abbr=on}} long and have 23 stops of which 21 will be on the west side of the Meuse and two along the east-side branch. Nine of the 23 stops will be transfer hubs (French: ''pôle d'échange'') providing bus connections and, in 3 cases, [[SNCB]] railway connections ([[Liège-Guillemins railway station|Gare des Guillemins]], Gare de Saint-Lambert [[:fr:Gare de Liège-Saint-Lambert|(fr)]] at Place Saint-Lambert stop, Gare de Bressoux [[:fr:Gare de Bressoux|(fr)]] at Liège Expo stop).<ref name="route" /> Stops are spaced approximately {{convert|450|m}} apart. Two stops, Standard in Sclessin and Liège Expo in Bressoux, will have [[park and ride]] facilities for 1436 vehicles.<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18" /> 

There are 3 bridges that carry the tramway: {{abbr|Pont Atlas|Atlas Bridge}}, Pont des Modeleurs and Pont des Tilleurs. The tramway will cross 79 signalized intersections. Three sections of the line will not have an overhead wire: between the Général Leman and Blonden stops, between the Opéra stop and Place des Déportés and on the Atlas Bridge.<ref name="route" /> Between Place Saint-Lambert and Place des Déportés (near Pont Maghin), tracks branch into two routes, a possibly bidirectional route via Féronstrée, and a unidirectional route (direction Coronmeuse) via La Batte.<ref name="TEC-3D">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbLpiHtVNnc |title=Tram de Liège en 3D |website=YouTube |publisher=TEC |date=2022-06-14 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref><ref name="route" />

The rush-hour frequency of the line will be every 4½ minutes. The average speed of the trams will be 19–20&nbsp;km/h as compared to 10–13&nbsp;km/h for buses in the downtown area.<ref name="numbers" /> 

The line will use 20 seven-section [[CAF Urbos]] trams, equipped with onboard batteries to operate on the three sections of the line that have no overhead wire. The trams will be {{convert|45.4|m|adj=on}} long,<ref name="TUT-2022-07-18">{{cite web |url=http://www.tautonline.com/first-caf-urbos-arrives-liege/ |title=First CAF Urbos arrives in Liège |publisher=Tramways & Urban transit |date=2022-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819200408/http://www.tautonline.com/first-caf-urbos-arrives-liege/ | archive-date=2022-08-19 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> {{convert|2.65|m|adj=on}} wide and {{convert|3.60|m|adj=on}} high, and weigh about 64 tonnes. There are eight double doors on each side of the tram. Each tram has a capacity for about 310 passengers including 62 seated. There are also 3 spaces for wheelchairs or baby carriages, and 2 spaces for visually impaired people with room under the seat for a guide dog.<ref name="numbers" />

The Maintenance and Storage Centre (French: ''Centre de maintenance et remisage'' – CDMR) is located just beyond the Liège Expo stop. Having an area of {{convert|23100|m2}}, the facility has 5 major structures. The service station building, with an area of {{convert|590|m2}} and one interior track, contains a sand loading station, a pit and overhead catwalk for inspections and a car wash. The maintenance workshop building has an area of {{convert|4400|m2}} and 4 interior tracks to accommodate 4 trams simultaneously: 2 tracks perched on stilts over a pit, 1 track for grinding worn wheels and 1 track for testing bogies. The tram storage shed has 5 tracks to store up to 25 trams but could be expanded for 40 trams. The operations building has office space for TEC staff and a central command post for both tram and bus operations. An adjacent park-and-ride garage has space for 771 vehicles.<ref name="TEC-2021-10-29">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVfYzAglQE0 |title=Découvrez le Centre de Maintenance et de Remisage du futur Tram de Liège |website=YouTube |publisher=TEC |date=2021-10-29 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref>

==Cancelled extensions==
In early 2024, the government of Wallonia budgeted 355 million euros to extend the tram line {{convert|2.9|km}} from Coronmeuse to Herstel (Place Licourt), and {{convert|2.8|km}} from Standard (Sclessin) to Seraing (Gare de Jemeppe). With the extensions, the line would have been {{convert|17.5|km}} long and have had 31 stops in total. The consortium Mov'urba (consisting of the local company Galère in association with Stadsbader Contractors) was awarded the contract to construct the extensions. The consortium Tram'Ardent would have remained responsible for the installation of security systems, communication and signalization for the entire system. The extensions were expected to be completed by 2026. The budget provided for the purchase of 10 additional trams.<ref name="RTBF-2024-02-01">{{cite web |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/tram-a-liege-c-est-officiel-l-extension-vers-seraing-est-sauvee-11322669 |title=Tram à Liège : c'est officiel, l'extension vers Seraing est sauvée |website=rtbf.be |date=2024-02-01 |df=dmy-all |lang=FR}}</ref><ref name="RTBF-2024-04-11">{{cite web |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/tram-de-liege-galere-et-stadsbader-contractors-devraient-construire-la-ligne-vers-seraing-11356825 |title=Tram de Liège : Galère et Stadsbader Contractors devraient construire la ligne vers Seraing |publisher=RTBF |date=2024-04-11 |lang=FR}}</ref><ref name="Galère-2024">{{cite web |url=https://galere.be/actualites/nouveau-projet-extension-sud-du-tram-de-liege/ |title=Mov'urba construira l'extension sud du tram de Liège |website=Galère|date=13 May 2024 |accessdate=2024-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628003807/https://galere.be/actualites/nouveau-projet-extension-sud-du-tram-de-liege/ | archive-date=2024-06-28 |url-status=live |lang=FR}}</ref>

However, In late August 2024, the region of Wallonia decided to cancel the two extensions and replace them with reserved or priority bus lanes that would require a change of vehicule at the eastern and western termini of the tram line.<ref name="RTBF-2024-09-05">{{cite web |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/des-bus-vers-seraing-et-herstal-a-la-place-du-tram-est-ce-vraiment-la-meme-chose-11429955 |title=Des bus vers Seraing et Herstal à la place du tram, est-ce vraiment la même chose ? |website=RTBF |date=2024-09-05 |lang=FR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906014109/https://www.rtbf.be/article/des-bus-vers-seraing-et-herstal-a-la-place-du-tram-est-ce-vraiment-la-meme-chose-11429955 |archive-date=2024-09-06 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Circa 2009, there was a proposal to build another tram line between [[Ans, Belgium|Ans]] and Vaux-sous-Chèvremont ([[Chaudfontaine]]).<ref>{{cite web |lang=fr |publisher=R. T. L. Newmedia |title=Un tram à Liège dans moins de 10 ans |url=https://www.rtl.be/info/regions/liege/un-tram-a-liege-dans-moins-de-10-ans-92685.aspx |website=RTL Info |date=10 February 2009 |accessdate=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |lang=fr |title=Un tracé sinueux pour monter à Ans en passant par Glain |url=https://www.lesoir.be/art/un-reseau-de-tram-des-2015_t-20090211-00LNM4.html |website=Le Soir |date=11 February 2009 |accessdate=27 September 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Tramway de Liège}}
* [https://letram.be/ Le Tram], project website (in French)
* [https://www.liege.be/fr/vie-communale/services-communaux/mobilite/projets/tram/publications City of Liège index of publications about the tramway project] (in French)

{{Transport in Belgium}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trams in Liege}}
[[Category:Transport in Liège]]
[[Category:Defunct town tramway systems by city|Liège]] 
[[Category:Tram transport in Belgium]]